That afternoon, the sky was painted in a dull grayish-orange. A cold wind swept through the city, carrying dust and scattered leaves into the air.
The city looked calm…
But that calm wouldn't last long.
Arou was on his way home from the library, his mind still occupied with the new books he had just read.
"Emi, are you done studying?" he called out.
No answer.
Only the sound of the wind… and his own footsteps.
Then—
A massive shadow suddenly swallowed the sun.
Arou froze.
Monstrous creatures began appearing in the streets—demons, beasts, and even things that didn't look like they belonged to this world. Without hesitation, they started destroying everything in sight, spreading chaos and terror among the panicking civilians.
Arou's eyes darted around—until he saw her.
"Big sis… what's happening?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Emi stood near their house, just as confused.
But before anything else could happen—
A demon lunged forward.
A sharp spear pierced straight through Emi's chest.
"…!"
Time seemed to stop.
Her body staggered… then collapsed to the ground.
Arou's eyes widened, his heart pounding violently in his chest.
No… this couldn't be real.
The world around him felt like it had frozen.
Then, slowly… the creature turned its gaze toward him.
Arou's breath hitched.
He wasn't ready.
Not for this.
Suddenly—
FWHIP! FWHIP! FWHIP!
Gunshots echoed from the distance.
A man appeared, wielding a bolt-action rifle. His shots were precise, forcing the demon back.
After a brief clash, the man approached Arou and placed a sword in his trembling hands.
"Use this… and survive," he said calmly.
Arou gripped the sword tightly.
His eyes burned with determination.
Losing his sister… changed everything.
The world had already fallen apart.
---
Arou stared at the sword in his hand, his body still shaking.
But there was a strange sense of relief now—someone was here.
"Hold it properly," the man said firmly. "I'll hold them off. Don't panic."
From the ruins, more demons began to crawl out.
FWHIP… FWHIP…
The man fired again, forcing them back.
Arou swallowed hard. The sword felt heavy, unfamiliar—but somehow… it gave him courage.
He had never faced anything like this before.
But he wasn't alone anymore.
Then—
Heavy footsteps echoed.
A man clad in full armor emerged from the rubble. Each step made the ground tremble slightly as he charged forward, blocking the incoming attacks.
"I'll protect you!" he shouted, deflecting the demons with sheer force.
The battle was short, but it was enough.
Arou realized something important—
Having allies on the battlefield… changed everything.
His breathing slowly steadied.
The blade in his hand gleamed faintly, like a promise of a future he had to fight for.
---
As the dust began to settle, Arou looked at the two men.
"Thank you… I'm Arou. Who are you?"
"Shion," said the man with the rifle, giving a faint smile.
"And I'm Rei," said the armored man. "We'll help you… for now."
Arou tightened his grip on the sword.
The world around him might have collapsed…
But he was no longer alone.
A new team had begun to form.
---
The dust still lingered in the air when suddenly—
Two figures appeared in the distance.
A cheerful girl with a mysterious aura…
And a woman with a cold, watchful gaze.
They approached calmly.
Arou raised his sword slightly.
"Who are you?" he asked sharply.
The girl stopped, smiling brightly.
"I'm Nora. Nice to meet you~"
The woman behind her remained silent, her eyes cold and observant.
Arou glanced at Emi's lifeless body on the ground.
"What are you planning to do?" he asked, tension in his voice.
Nora smiled wider.
"I'm going to bring her back," she said lightly. "Because… I'm a monster."
---
Arou didn't hesitate.
He attacked.
His blade sliced through the air toward Nora—
She collapsed instantly.
Arou turned to the other woman.
"You're next."
The woman—Airi—looked at him coldly.
"My turn? No… it's yours."
In an instant—
She struck.
Arou's right arm was slashed open. Blood dripped down, but he didn't fall.
Then—
A soft light began to glow.
Nora stood up again.
Her power slowly healed Arou's wound.
"Maybe… we should talk first before fighting further," she said with a smile.
Arou kept his guard up.
"I don't trust you," he said firmly. "But don't think I'll let you do whatever you want."
---
Nora walked toward Emi's body.
Then—
She raised her hand.
A faint glow surrounded Emi.
"…!"
Emi moved.
Arou, Shion, and Rei froze in shock.
She was alive.
---
Night soon fell over the ruined city.
Arou stood firm, gripping his sword tightly as he faced Airi.
Shion, Rei, and Emi watched in silence.
"…Alright," Arou said. "I'll hold back. But I'll show you what I can do."
Airi's gaze sharpened.
"Then… let's begin."
---
The fight was fast.
Brutal.
Arou attacked relentlessly—but Airi read every movement with precision.
Strike after strike—
He was overwhelmed.
"Don't—!" Shion shouted, raising his rifle but holding back.
"Arou… don't push yourself!" Rei warned.
Arou collapsed.
His sword nearly slipped from his hand.
Blood stained the ground beneath him.
Airi stopped.
She didn't continue.
---
Nora stepped forward, smiling brightly.
"Alright… my turn."
A soft light enveloped Arou.
His wounds began to close.
The bleeding stopped.
His strength slowly returned.
Arou opened his eyes.
"…Thank you… I didn't expect…"
Nora giggled.
"This is just the beginning. I want you all to survive… for what's coming next."
---
Shion, Rei, and Emi watched in silence.
Relief mixed with awe.
This wasn't just a battle.
It was the beginning of something bigger.
A team.
A bond.
Airi remained silent.
Her cold gaze softened—just slightly.
That night, among the ruins of the city…
They all realized one thing.
This was only the first step.