Screams, confusion, shattered glass and whispered fears filled the corridors.

«Stop him immediately!» shouted a woman, grabbing the conductor’s arm.

«What is happening on this train?!» a group of people cried, huddling together with eyes full of terror.

The man in charge of the train peered out from the control cabin, unable to answer.

—What do I do? Would it be better to stop? And what if it’s dangerous?— he wondered, gripping the wheel with sweaty hands.

Meanwhile, in the cabin left devastated by the collision, Kaito still had his foot pressed on Shirogane’s chest.

He panted, trembled, and didn’t move. He seemed absent, trapped between fury and unconsciousness.

Only when he heard Yume’s voice did he come back to himself.

«Kaito…?» she whispered.

Kaito’s gaze sharpened as the adrenaline slowly drained from his body.

He turned to Yume, who stood shaken at the sight of him in that state: he was covered in blood, some of which wasn’t even his.

When Kaito realized it, he wiped his face with the sleeve of his jacket. Then he looked at Yume and, with a tired but sincere smile, said:

«Hi, Yume.»

She ran to him and grabbed the collar of his jacket.

«Can you tell me why you came here? Look at you… idiot.»

Her voice began to break. Without noticing, tears started to streak down her face.

Kaito looked at her, taken aback. He didn’t know what to do.

Then he followed his instinct: he gently stroked her head.

Yume stayed still for a moment, surprised by the gesture, while her tears kept falling.

They remained like that for a while, when suddenly the train began to slow.

«What’s happening?» Kaito asked, looking around.

«They’re stopping it,» Yume answered, stepping away from him as she wiped her tears.

The young man stared at her for a moment, then said in a serious tone:

«Yume, we have to go. They’ll surely call them.»

She looked at him with tense eyes.

«You mean the Reikeitai?»

Kaito nodded.

The Reikeitai.

A special police unit founded jointly by the four great nations: Kairen, Fuyoko, Raikan, and Yuriko.

Composed exclusively of individuals tied to Spirits, their mission was as simple as it was ruthless: intervene in any incident involving spiritual entities by any means necessary.

Kaito looked at her again, then said in a weary voice:

«Yume, I’ll take you ho—»

He couldn’t finish the sentence.

A small dagger made of pure shadow pierced his side.

Kaito fell to the floor with a muffled groan.

«Kaito! What’s happening?!» Yume cried, rushing to him.

The boy, in pain, lifted his head. His eyes narrowed with rage and hurt.

Then a hoarse, panting voice reached them:

«I… will kill you…»

Yume spun around.

Shirogane was standing.

Wounded, bleeding, but still alive.

Kaito, wracked by pain, pulled the dagger from his side. The weapon vanished in an instant, dissolving into shadow.

—I have to get up...— he thought, gritting his teeth as blood ran down his flank.

His gaze fell on Yume, who stood paralyzed with fear.

—H-how is this possible? He’s still alive… it’s over…— she thought, eyes wide.

Shirogane fixed her with a sharp look, his voice hoarse and full of rage.

«Yume… heal me. Then I’ll kill him.»

Those words, spoken so coldly, hit her like a punch to the stomach.

In that instant, she realized she hadn’t escaped him, that nothing had changed.

She was still a prisoner of her shadow.

But then that sense of oppression disappeared.

A warm hand rested on her shoulder.

«Yume… calm down. I’ve got this.»

Kaito’s voice was tired, yet he wouldn’t be stopped.

He stepped forward, picking up the blade he’d used earlier. He staggered for a moment, then steadied himself.

His eyes were fixed on Shirogane, full of determination.

«Shirogane… this time it’s over. Clear?!»

The enemy laughed, stained with blood.

«What do you think you can do in that state? Don’t you understand? Yume will heal me.»

Kaito clenched his jaw, furious.

But then Yume moved.

She approached him slowly. Her eyes shook, but there was no hesitation in her voice.

«Kaito… please… save me.»

The boy’s eyes widened in surprise.

At that moment, his wounds began to seal.

Yume had made a plea she had never addressed to anyone since leaving the village. She had asked for help.

Kaito’s wounds started to close, slowly but unrelentingly. His battered body regained strength and movement.

«Damn you! I’ll kill you!»

Shirogane screamed, launching a punch filled with spiritual energy at Yume. She couldn’t even follow his movement.

It seemed the end.

But that blow never landed.

A hand stopped him mid-air.

Shirogane’s eyes widened.

Kaito was holding him back.

«Let’s finish this, Shirogane.»

His voice was calm. But in that calmness lay a smoldering rage.

An instant later, the enemy’s body burst through the train’s roof and crashed onto the rocky ground with a dull thud.

At his side appeared Kuroyami.

«Get up! Come on, we have to fight!»

«I… I can’t get up!» Shirogane growled.

Kuroyami looked at him puzzled.

«What’s wrong with you, Shirogane?»

The boy didn’t answer. He stared at something ahead of him.

When Kuroyami turned too, his eyes widened.

A figure advanced holding two blades. Kaito was closing in on them.

«We have to get out of here! Now!»

Kaito vanished for an instant, then reappeared in front of them.

Kuroyami tried to strike him, but was knocked away by a clean swipe of his blades, returning to the shadow of her possessor.

Shirogane watched the scene in astonishment.

«Shit… shit… it’s over…» he whispered.

«You’re a despicable being,» Kaito said with contempt.

«In your quest to take revenge on the Mugentamashii, you’ve become like them.»

Shirogane’s gaze cracked.

A memory surfaced in his mind: a child on his knees, surrounded by the blood of his family.

«They took everything from me…

My family was feared and respected… they were criminals, yes, but they were my family.

And they… exterminated them!»

«I lost everything too.

But did I become like you?»

Kaito’s voice was sharp. Decisive.

Shirogane fell silent. Perhaps, deep down, he knew Kaito was right.

«Goodbye, Shirogane.»

Kaito raised his blades.

«Spirit slayer!»

The strike completely overwhelmed the enemy’s body.

—It’s over… I’ve lost…— was his final thought.

Silence fell.

Kaito took a long breath, then turned. Yume had reached him, still shaken.

In a low but steady voice he said to her:

«Let’s get out of here.»

Hearing those words, Yume looked at him.

And through her tears… she smiled.