«Kaito, look at that shop!» the girl exclaimed, pointing at a clothing store with a large, glowing display window.

«What do you say we buy something? It’d be better not to stand out too much, don’t you think?» she added with a half-smile.

Kaito thought for a moment, then stepped toward the crosswalk. «You’re right. Let’s buy something,» he replied, starting to cross the street.

As soon as their feet touched the asphalt, several floating, transparent blocks rose at the sides like luminous barriers guiding them.

«Must be pedestrian protection,» Kaito guessed, watching them curiously before continuing.

When they reached the store entrance, the door opened automatically with a quiet hiss. «I guess all the doors open like this here,» Yume commented.

Her eyes lit up when she saw the store’s interior: dozens of elegant, futuristic garments, each enclosed in transparent cases that seemed to float in midair.

The shop assistant approached them the moment she saw them. She wore a slightly low-cut dress with padded straps, her hair neatly tied up, and bright red lipstick. «Hello, you two—can I help you?» she asked, her voice sweet but well-practiced for sales.

Yume immediately took charge. «Yes, we wanted something typical that isn’t too expensive…but good quality,» she said confidently.

Kaito watched her in silence as she spoke to the saleswoman, slightly surprised.

—Almost forgot she’s the one who negotiated goods at the inn…— he thought, with a small smile.

After a short discussion the saleswoman nodded. «Perfect. I have just the thing for you.» She led them to one of the display cases. «Garment sixteen B, men’s. Garment eighteen A, women’s.»

On the pedestal, metallic tentacles emerged silently, gripping the two pieces with precision. «Please go into the fitting rooms,» she said, pointing to two doors beside her.

Kaito and Yume followed the instructions.

The inside of the fitting room was oddly…normal.

—Considering everything I’ve seen since we arrived, this normality is a bit disappointing— the boy thought.

Then, suddenly, the metallic tentacles reappeared inside the booth. «What…?!» he cried in surprise as he found himself dressed before he even had time to react.

«If you’re finished, you can come out!» called the saleswoman.

The fitting room doors opened. Kaito wore a long-collared black jacket with a side fastening and minimalist lines. Yume had on black thigh-high stockings and a soft light-brown wool sweater long enough to pass as a dress.

«Wow, you both look great… Wait…» The saleswoman turned to Kaito, surprised. «Boy, weren’t the pants changed?»

«I kept them. I prefer these,» he answered calmly.

Yume glanced at him. It didn’t take her long to understand why: he didn’t want to reveal the blades hidden in the inner lining. She lowered her gaze slightly. —Always careful— she thought, smiling faintly.

«Well… I suppose that’ll do…» the saleswoman said uncertainly.

A few minutes later Kaito and Yume left the shop.

«Now we only need a place to stay,» the boy said.

«You’re right,» she replied, falling into step beside him.

Meanwhile, in one of Shinkase’s darker alleys, something unusual was happening.

The place lacked lighting, reeked of rotten smells, and had piled trash bins along the sides. The distant hum of neon signs seemed not to reach this forgotten corner of the city.

A group of men had surrounded a girl in that alley.

«What did you say, brat?» one of them snarled, bringing a hand to his pocket in a threatening gesture.

The girl stared him straight in the eyes, impassive. She had long, bright red hair tied into twin tails that fell over her shoulders, and amber eyes that shone like dark glass. She wore a high-neck, sleeveless orange top, a blue skirt that stopped above the knees, black tights, and shoes that matched the skirt.

«I said get out of the way,» she declared, arms folded and an expression full of arrogance on her face.

Silence fell for a moment in the alley.

None of them noticed, but the girl’s shadow, faintly lit by a distant flickering sign, seemed to tremble…as if something inside it were slowly moving.

«How dare you?! I’ll teach you to show respect to your elders!» the man snarled, raising his fist toward the girl.

They were only inches from impact when something streaked past his face.

A dry sound. The snap of metal.

The girl blinked, confused. The thug froze, eyes wide.

Embedded in the wall was a blade.

An unnatural silence descended on the group.

«Well? Have you had enough?» said a voice.

They all turned toward the mouth of the alley.

Two figures stood there, motionless in the shadows.

One was accompanied by a small winged spirit, glowing like a firefly. The other held a second blade.

«And who the hell are you?» the gang leader growled, still shaken by the blade thrown at him.

«It doesn’t matter. Rather… what are you doing to that girl?» Kaito asked in a cold tone.

«And why do you care?» he replied, trying to hide the tremor in his voice.

«Let her go,» Kaito said, his voice laden with threat.

«Who do you think you are!» the leader snapped.

At that, his companions moved.

Kaito glanced briefly at his partner. «Yume, you take some of them,» he said calmly.

One of the men lunged first, but his punch was effortlessly blocked by Kaito’s open palm.

«Is that it?» the boy murmured.

With a sharp, precise flick of his blade, he sent the man flying into a metal trash bin. The impact was so violent the bin bent.

The others stood frozen for a moment, stunned—then Kaito vanished from their sight.

«W-where did he go?!» one of them yelled.

They backed against one another, scanning every corner of the alley.

A moment later Kaito reappeared in the center of the group.

They barely had time to turn.

With a cutting look, Kaito leapt high and spun, his wide blade sweeping through the formation. Bodies were hurled against the alley walls.

The leader remained paralyzed, unable to believe what he had seen.

«I-it can’t be… who is this…?» he stammered.

Kaito’s gaze slowly shifted to him, the last one standing.

«N-no, no!» the man stuttered, turning and beginning to run.

Kaito watched him for a moment, then averted his eyes and ignored him.

—I’m safe…— he thought, with a manic smile.

But an instant later, a female figure appeared in front of him. A violent kick struck the fleeing man square in the face, knocking him to the ground unconscious.

«Done,» Yume said, joining Kaito.

«Nice work,» he replied with a half-smile.

At that moment, though no one could yet know it, Kaito and Yume’s arrival in Shinkase was already beginning to make its mark.