It had been one full month since Kami last came to school.
No calls.
No messages.
No signs.
Kami's friends were restless.
No one knew where he had gone.
No one knew if he was even safe.
And Kirogami…
There was still no trace of him either.
The fear grew stronger every day.
During the morning assembly, Kami's friends gathered together.
Faces tense.
Eyes tired.
"We can't wait anymore," one of them said.
"After school today, we search for them."
"In the city."
"And outside the city too."
"Anyone who wants to come—comes.
No pressure."
For a moment, there was silence.
Then one by one—
"We're in."
"All of us."
The plan was set.
In the past month, Kiba had changed.
Kirogami was his best friend.
And before disappearing, Kirogami had once told him:
"I want a gang so strong that my friends never lose… no matter who stands against them."
So Kiba did exactly that.
He gathered everyone who respected Kirogami.
Everyone who had fought beside him.
Everyone who believed in him.
A gang without a leader.
Waiting for the day Kirogami would return.
But deep inside—
Kiba was angry.
Angry at the world.
And angry at Kami.
Because if Kami hadn't been there…
Kirogami wouldn't have fought.
And none of this would have happened.
Half-time.
Suddenly—
Kami walked into the school.
For a second, no one believed their eyes.
Then chaos.
Students ran toward him like crazy.
Friends surrounded him.
Shouting.
Asking questions.
Pulling him in all directions.
Even other students gathered just to see him.
The boy who disappeared.
Then someone else showed up.
The same bully.
The one who stole Kami's girlfriend.
He smirked and stepped closer.
Before Kami could react—
Kiba stepped forward.
He grabbed the bully by the collar and said coldly:
"Listen carefully.
Walk away right now…
or I'll make sure you never walk properly again."
The bully froze.
One look at Kiba's eyes—
And he left without saying a word.
Kiba pulled Kami away and took him to the classroom.
There, he told him everything.
The plan.
The search.
Tonight.
Kami listened quietly.
Then nodded.
"I'll come."
Evening arrived.
Kami was on his way home when his phone rang.
Unknown number.
A voice said only one thing:
"Come alone.
The forest outside the city.
The same place."
The call ended.
Kami stopped walking.
Why there?
And why alone?
Night slowly fell.
Lost in his thoughts, Kami left early—
For the forest.
He forgot everything else.
Even the plan to search for Kirogami.
Even his phone.
At the same time—
Kiba and the others were calling him.
Again and again.
No answer.
They went to Kami's house.
No one was there.
Kiba clenched his fists.
Anger burned in his chest.
"Fine," he said.
"We go without him."
And they left.
The forest was alive at night.
Strange sounds.
Whispers in the dark.
Movement everywhere.
Kami's fear grew with every step.
He reached the old warehouse.
He searched inside.
"Is anyone here…?"
Nothing.
Time passed.
Too much time.
What if a monster comes again…?
Kami turned to leave.
That's when—
A shadow stood behind him.
Kami screamed and fell.
The figure stepped forward and turned on a torch.
Light revealed the face.
Half human.
Half machine.
Kami's heart skipped.
"It looks like—"
Before he could finish—
The man laughed.
The same voice.
The same presence.
Dr. Atom.
Kami summoned the mysterious sword.
But as always—
It fell to the ground.
Too heavy.
The man laughed louder.
"So this is the energy…
The one that crashed into my spaceship."
Kami stared carefully.
"Wait…
You're Dr. Atom, right?"
The man frowned.
"How do you know my name?
I've never met you."
Kami swallowed.
"Last time… your face was normal.
What happened to you?"
Dr. Atom went silent.
Then his eyes widened.
"…So another version of me has already met you."
"Another timeline," he whispered.
Kami didn't understand.
He bombarded him with questions.
"The sword."
"The monsters."
"Why am I here?"
"How did you come here?"
Dr. Atom shook his head.
"If I tell you, the future will change.
One wrong word… and everything could be destroyed."
Kami clenched his fists.
"The other Dr. Atom said the same thing."
"Then tell me—what will happen?"
Dr. Atom looked at him calmly.
"When the time comes…
You'll know."
And he vanished.
By the time Kami reached home—
It was morning.
He collapsed onto his bed.
This time—
He forgot to take his medicine.
As sleep took him, pain exploded inside his head.
Memories rushed in.
Voices.
Faces.
Scenes he had never lived.
Kami screamed.
It felt like his head was tearing apart.
At school—
Whispers spread.
"Kirogami disappeared because of Kami."
"And Kami didn't even come to search for him."
Blame filled the air.
And somewhere—
Something inside Kami was breaking.
To be continued…