Part 1: From Ruin to Rebirth
"Thanks for saving me… but who are you?" Takuto asked, gasping for breath.
"I'm Kaori. There's no time to explain now," she replied, her eyes scanning the surroundings with mounting dread. Suddenly, she sensed a lethal presence and shoved Takuto aside.
Kaori: "Takuto-san! Get back!"
(BOOM!!!)
A fist wreathed in pitch-black energy slammed into the spot where they had just been standing, spider-webbing the concrete floor. From the rising dust, a figure emerged.
"Found you, brat..." It was Toki Takamatsu.
Kaori drew a dagger from behind her waist, stepping firmly in front of Takuto.
Kaori: "Who are you?! Takuto-san, stay behind me. He's dangerous!"
Toki scratched his head, his voice dripping with boredom. "Ugh… what a pain. Let's finish this quickly."
The air in the park grew heavy with smoke. Kaori gripped her dagger tighter, watching Toki's every move. The black aura radiating from him was suffocating, thick with murderous intent.
Kaori: "Who are you? Why are you hunting Takuto-san?" she asked icily. Toki only responded with a jagged, mocking smirk.
Toki: "My job is to bring this boy to us. You think a girl like you can stand in my way?"
"Whether I can or not… you're about to find out!" Just as Kaori braced herself, Toki kicked off the ground, lunging toward her like a launched arrow.
Elsewhere – (Ayano's Position)
Ayano: "You useless idiots! You couldn't even capture one weak boy?!"
Ayano's furious shout rang through the park. Before her, several men in black suits bowed their heads, trembling as they begged for forgiveness.
However, the moment she turned away, her ruthless mask crumbled. A faint sigh escaped her lips, followed by a tiny, fleeting smile.
("Takuto-kun… thank god… you got away…")
Suddenly, her phone buzzed. At the sight of the name "Father" on the screen, Ayano's expression instantly froze back into a mask of cold indifference.
Ayano: "Yes… Father."
"Ayano… Toki has found the boy. Withdraw now. That is an order!"
After hanging up, Ayano's eyes shifted into a deep Purple. She raised a hand, tearing open a swirling portal in the air. Before stepping through, she took one last look toward Takuto's direction and whispered to the wind— "If there is someone out there who can protect you… then I can finally rest easy…"
Back on the Battlefield
"Die!"
Toki's black-clad fist sliced through the air with a whistle. Kaori dodged just in time, but the concrete pillar behind her exploded into fragments.
"He's fast!" Kaori thought. She channeled Blue Lightning into her legs, her form blurring into a streak of electricity as she circled behind Toki.
She swung her dagger at his neck, but Toki blocked with his forearm. The sound of the impact was like steel clashing against steel.
"Heh… not bad." Toki licked a smear of blood from his lip, his eyes widening with a manic, crazed light.
Toki's fists began to rain down like thunderclaps. Kaori dodged with everything she had, her mind racing— "This can't drag on. I have to end this now!"
She lunged forward, managed to graze Toki's cheek, and swung for a final, decisive blow. "This ends here!"
But Toki was faster. Before her blade could reach his throat, his black-aura fist slammed into her abdomen with devastating force.
(Gahhh!)
Kaori coughed up a spray of blood and was sent flying, crashing into the ground where she lay near-unconscious. Horrified, Takuto ran toward her. "Kaori-san! Are you okay?!"
"Takuto-san… run…" Kaori managed to wheeze out.
Fueled by desperation, Takuto tried to rush Toki, but a single, brutal kick sent him tumbling across the dirt. Toki stepped over to Kaori, pinning her head down with his boot.
Toki: "Watch closely… I'm going to kill this girl right in front of your eyes."
"NO!!!! STOP IT!!!"
Inside Takuto's mind, the dark, suppressed memories of his past erupted like a volcano. The roar of flames… his mother lying in a pool of blood… a man holding a blade to her throat.
"Takuto… run! You have to survive..."
The sound of the blade piercing his mother's chest echoed in his mind, the past and present overlapping perfectly.
"Don't do it… her… I… I won't let her die too!!!"
Takuto didn't just stand up; he rose with a terrifying, slow deliberateness, his teeth gritted so hard they threatened to crack. His fists were clenched until blood seeped from his palms. He wasn't screaming anymore. He was vibrating with a rage so pure it distorted the air around him.
"I… will never… forgive you…"
From his bowed head, flashes of crimson light began to spark. The atmosphere grew impossibly heavy, forcing even Toki to stumble back. "What? This pressure… what is this?"
As Takuto slowly lifted his head, his eyes had transformed into a terrifying Blood Red, swirling with a violent, incandescent Stella Flow Energy.
"I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
A massive Red Aura exploded from Takuto's body, the shockwave uprooting nearby trees. This was no mere surge of power—it was the "True Awakening," born from years of buried agony.
For the first time, a shadow of genuine fear crossed Toki's face.
Part 2: The Power of the Phoenix Eye
The blood-red aura surged from his body like a volcanic eruption, heating the very air to a searing temperature.
Toki took a shaky step back, eyes wide. "How can he have this much power? Is this… the power of the legendary eyes?!"
Takuto's eyes locked onto Toki. The fear was gone. In his vision, Toki's movements seemed to slow down into frame-by-frame snapshots. Toki growled, throwing a desperate, black-aura-infused punch straight at Takuto's face.
But with a slight tilt of his head, Takuto let the fist whistle past, hitting nothing but air. In that opening, Takuto buried his fist into Toki's midsection.
(BOOM!!!)
"Gah!" Toki was blasted backward, his boots furrowing the ground as he struggled to maintain his balance. His arms were trembling. "That strength! That speed is impossible!"
"Is that all you've got!" Toki roared, charging back in—
VREEEEEE!!! With a sound like the air itself being shredded, Takuto vanished. Toki's eyes bulged. "What… where did he go?!"
Instantly, Toki felt a searing heat against his back. He turned in terror to find Takuto standing inches away, his blood-red eyes staring into his soul.
"Am I… am I actually afraid of him?" Toki's entire body began to shake.
At that moment, the sound of a pained groan from the fallen Kaori reached Takuto's ears. A single thought consumed his mind: "Ichinose-san is losing too much blood. I have to end this now!"
"You think a brat like you can defeat me? DIE!" Toki roared. He concentrated his dark energy into his fist with such intensity that the very stones on the ground began to levitate from the pressure.
The two lunged at each other with everything they had. Toki threw a devastating Black Energy Punch, but Takuto parried it with a swift, fluid motion. Using the opening, Takuto buried his fist—blazing with crimson energy—directly into Toki's solar plexus.
"Fall! HARRHH!!"
(KABOOM!!!)
The impact was cataclysmic; trees in the vicinity snapped and collapsed. Toki spat a mouthful of blood as he was blasted away, smashing through a brick wall before collapsing into a heap. The black energy flickering around him vanished, and he lay motionless.
As the dust settled, Takuto's crimson aura slowly faded. He scrambled toward Kaori. "Ichinose-san! Stay with me! Don't die!"
Kaori managed a weak, fragile smile before her eyes fluttered shut, and she lost consciousness. Panic seized Takuto. "Wait… my power healed my own wounds… maybe I can save her too?"
He placed both hands over her grievous injuries. Channeled by his desperate will, a warm, red light flowed from his palms into Kaori's body. Miraculously, her wounds began to knit together, and her breathing stabilized.
However, the moment the light faded, Takuto felt his strength drain completely, as if a plug had been pulled.
"Found him! Hey, don't even think about running, kid!"
More syndicate members were closing in. Takuto tried to stand, but his legs were leaden. "Is this it? Have I reached my limit?"
As his consciousness wavered, he caught a blurry glimpse of spheres of flame falling from the sky, incinerating the Shadow Syndicate reinforcements. A woman (Sora) walked toward him, her voice a distant echo:
"Takuto… you two are very lucky."
Then, the world went black.
Chapter 3: Awakening in the Shadows and the Verdant Eyes
Takuto's consciousness was submerged in a bottomless void. In the darkness, the smell of smoke, the metallic tang of blood, and piercing screams echoed in his ears.
"Takuto… run! You have to survive…"
The scene shifted abruptly to his mother's final words. Amidst roaring flames, she lay in a pool of blood. He couldn't see the face of the killer standing over her, but he remembered those eyes with a soul-deep terror.
One eye was as red as fresh blood; the other was a piercing, dark sapphire blue. They seemed to mock him. As the killer raised the blade and plunged it into his mother's chest—
"MOTHER!!!!"
Takuto screamed, bolting upright in bed.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
His breath came in ragged gasps, and his body was drenched in a cold sweat. Clutching his chest, he looked around. He was no longer in the park. He was in a pristine, white room. Soft sunlight filtered through the window, lending the space a peaceful atmosphere.
"That vision again… that same nightmare…" he whispered, pressing a hand to his forehead.
The door creaked open, and a soft pitter-patter of footsteps approached.
"Good morning, Takuto-sama. Were you having the nightmare again?"
A clear, refreshing voice made Takuto turn. Standing in the doorway was a girl around seventeen years old. She possessed a unique beauty he had never seen before.
Her long hair was the vibrant color of a lush forest (Green Hair), and her eyes glowed like precious emeralds (Green Eyes). She wore a neat black-and-white Japanese Maid Outfit and carried a tray with a steaming cup of herbal tea.
"Who… who are you? And where am I?" Takuto asked, bewildered.
The girl gave a graceful, polite bow.
Mika: "My name is Mika Izumi, Takuto-sama. You are in a secret base belonging to The Crimson Aegis."
Mika: "Sora-sama brought you here last night. You are safe now. Please, put your mind at ease."
Mika's green eyes were incredibly gentle as she looked at him. Takuto found himself momentarily dazed by her serene aura.
The Hidden Estate
Mika led Takuto out of the room. He stopped in his tracks, marveling at his surroundings. This wasn't a modern building; it was a sprawling Traditional Estate, reminiscent of ancient Japanese nobility.
Long wooden corridors connected rooms floored with tatami mats. Outside, a vast training yard (Dojo) was covered in fine gravel. A breeze blowing from the bamboo groves cleared his head.
"This is the headquarters of the Crimson Aegis. Everyone here is prepared to protect you, Takuto-sama," Mika explained with a smile as they walked.
They reached the largest room at the heart of the estate. Mika slid the wooden door open and gestured for Takuto to enter. Inside, a woman in her late thirties sat with poised dignity, holding a teacup. Her face was stern but kind, and her traditional kimono added to her commanding presence.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Takuto-sama. I am Rinoka Shizune, the leader of The Crimson Aegis."
Takuto sat across from her, the questions pouring out of him. "What is happening to me? What is this eye? And why are those people hunting me so relentlessly?"
Shizune sighed, looking him in the eye. "I know you have many questions. First, let us speak of the hidden history of this world."
Shizune: "Five hundred years ago, monsters from another dimension invaded our world. To save humanity, a deity known as Lord Cosmos appeared. He bestowed fragments of his power upon humans in the form of 'Eyes.' That was the birth of the Eye Users."
She took a sip of tea and continued. "We have records of Seven Primary Eye Types."
The Viridian Bloom (Green): Mika's power. It can heal wounds and control plant life.
The Sapphire Illusion (Blue): Can trap others in illusions. This is Ayano's power.
The Electro Flash (Light Blue): Grants incredible speed and lightning manipulation.
The Amethyst Gate (Purple): Allows for portal creation and teleportation.
The Crimson Hearth (Red/Orange): Control over fire. My daughter Sora possesses this.
The Void Oculus (Black): The Eye of Destruction, lost for centuries. It is said to be capable of ending the world.
The Phoenix Eye (Blood Red): This is your power—the direct heritage of Lord Cosmos.
"The Phoenix Eye is unique. It doesn't just grant power; it can 'Awaken' or 'Enhance' the abilities of others. That is why the Shadow Syndicate wants you," Shizune's expression grew grave.
"However, Takuto… we have received new reports. Beyond these seven, New Eye Types are beginning to emerge."
Takuto was stunned. "There are… more?"
Shizune: "Yes. There are whispers of Dual-Eye Users with two different powers, or eyes that defy the very laws of nature. Those who possess these eyes likely sit at the top of the Shadow Syndicate. They are the greatest threat to us—and to you."
Takuto immediately remembered the killer from his dream. One red eye, one blue. Was that one of the new types Shizune mentioned?
Shizune: "You must train to control this power, Takuto. If you don't, you put not only yourself but everyone around you in danger."
The Burden of Power
After the meeting, Takuto walked out with heavy steps. His mind wasn't on the Seven Eyes, but on Ayano's betrayal.
"I thought I finally found someone who cared… but was it all just for my eyes?"
He reached the training arena, where Kaori was sparring intensely with Sora.
"Not bad. You've gotten much stronger since yesterday," Sora remarked, parrying a surge of energy.
"Yes… I don't know why, but I feel overflowing with power!" Kaori replied, coating her daggers in Blue Lightning as she moved with blinding speed.
Takuto watched from a distance. The girl who was on the verge of death yesterday was now a powerhouse. It was just as Shizune said—his Phoenix Eye had enhanced her during the healing process.
He looked at his trembling palm. This hand could save, or it could kill. But his heart felt empty.
"What am I living for?"
His father was gone, his mother murdered. The girl he trusted had used him. Did the Crimson Aegis truly want to protect him, or did they just want his power too?
"Is there really a reason for me to keep going?"
He looked up at the sky, but under the grey clouds, he found no answer.
(Flashback: Two years ago – Behind an abandoned building)
In the middle of a torrential downpour, a small girl huddled behind a pile of trash, trembling. Rain mixed with the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Where did she go? We lost the trail!" The shouts of Shadow Syndicate members echoed nearby.
"The boss said her eyes are quite valuable."
"We already got the eyes from her parents. Pity they died so fast. We'll find her soon enough." The men moved off into the distance.
The girl pressed her hands over her mouth, stifling her sobs. "Dad… Mom… you left me… what do I do?"
Inside her, the terror slowly curdled into a searing, white-hot rage. She crawled out and stared in the direction the enemies had gone.
"I will get revenge… I will kill every last one of them!"
In that moment, her eyes flared with a violent aura. A pair of Deep Blue Eyes burned through the darkness, fueled by a cocktail of agony and wrath.
[END OF CHAPTER 2]