Pinned beneath what remained of a shelf snapped clean in half.

A thin stream of blood trickled down from his head, sliding across his face.

— I’m surrounded… — he thought, lifting his gaze.

— Everyone who was here is gone… —

He grabbed the broken remains of the furniture and hurled them across the shop.

— She probably has an entire squad just waiting for her signal… —

He moved toward the shattered storefront.

«Hey, Kaito!»

The girl’s voice came from above.

She cupped her hands around her mouth to make herself heard better.

«Don’t be shy! Come on out!» She gave him a wink.

A shiny object rolled toward the outside.

— There it is! —

At her signal, one of the spirit’s tentacles stretched out, snapping toward the glimmer.

«But that’s…»

«A jewel?»

In that instant, Kaito stepped out of the shop.

— It was a diversion! —

The woman reached for the tentacle to pull it back.

Kaito was faster.

He threw his wakizashi; the blade sliced through the tentacle.

The weapon fell to the ground.

A moment later, Kaito was already on it.

He picked it up.

«That was really unnecessary…» the woman sighed.

She leapt from the roof; before hitting the ground, the spirit cushioned her fall, softening the impact.

«You’re really skilled.» She smiled at him.

«Ah, I almost forgot…» She lightly tapped her head.

«My name is Neriwa… it’s a pleasure.»

Nebari began to move behind her, as if vibrating.

Then, suddenly, it split apart.

— It can do that too… —

Kaito raised his guard again.

«I’m sorry I have to use force…» she shrugged. «But you see, criminals must be arrested.»

Her tone changed completely.

Behind her, an uncountable number of small Nebari appeared, pulsing and moving like a single living mass.

Without another word, Neriwa dashed forward.

Along with her, the entire swarm surged ahead.

Kaito blocked her first strikes while the small jellyfish-like creatures assaulted him from every side.

He narrowed one eye as they darted past him at high speed.

— They’re surrounding me… —

A mid-air strike from the girl threw him off balance.

He managed to place a hand on the ground and, with an athletic motion, launched himself backward, regaining his stance.

«Already tired? What a puppy!» She kept attacking without pause.

Kaito grabbed her arm.

«Spiritual Lock!»

The enemy’s spiritual flow was barely touched.

The jellyfish had intercepted the attack.

— Damn them…! —

They slammed him to the ground.

The boy drew his blade again.

He cut down a good number of them; the rest retreated, returning to Neriwa.

«Perfect,» she said.

She stiffened her fingers, as if gripping something invisible.

«What is she doing?!» Kaito wondered.

Then his gaze dropped to his legs.

«When did she do that?!»

Kaito’s legs were already trapped in a viscous substance.

When he lifted his head again...

A punch charged with spiritual energy struck him square in the face.

Yet his body didn’t move.

He remained still, nailed in place by the substance.

«Of course…» he murmured, while her fist was still pressed against his face.

«I’ve already found a countermeasure for such tenacity…»

The girl pulled her fist back.

«Are you delirious?» She tilted her head slightly, confused by his words.

«In the end, that fight always comes in handy…» The image of him on the roof of that train flashed through his mind.

In an instant, he threw the wakizashi into the ground beside him. The blade sank deep.

The substance created by Nebari suddenly dissolved.

«Sorry, Neriwa…» He grabbed his weapon again.

«But I can’t keep this going.»

For the first time in a long while, his blade shone once more.

— It’s only a quarter of its true power… but it’ll be enough. —

«Spirit Slayer!»

The slash exploded, engulfing the entire area in a blinding flash.

When the light faded...

«You’re leaving me like this…?» Neriwa searched for him.

Kaito had vanished.

In a short time, the boy managed to reach an alley, far from the battlefield.

— I need to find a crowded street as soon as possible… —

He kept moving.

Suddenly, two shadows passed over his head.

He stopped abruptly.

The path ahead of him was blocked.

Two guards from Neriwa’s unit had found him.

«There he is.»

«Shouldn’t we inform her?» one of them asked.

«Come on. He’s just a kid without a spirit…» He stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.

He turned to his colleague. «I’ll knock him down in a—»

He didn’t finish the sentence.

«—ngh!»

One last sound, then he collapsed to the ground.

His face landed in a puddle in the alley.

«Your friend talks too much.» Kaito had his fingers extended forward.

«H-how…?» The other guard couldn’t find the words.

«He’s here!!»

A voice from the entrance of the alley made Kaito react.

«Damn it…»

Five more had arrived.

— I’ve got no choice but to run! —

He dashed forward, passing right by the still-shaken guard.

The others gave chase.

He ran through the deserted streets of the city.

— How large is this evacuation zone…?! —

A blast of spiritual energy came from behind him.

— Here it comes! —

He cut through the attack with his blade, absorbing the impact.

«He absorbed it?!»

The enemy attacks increased, one after another.

— I can’t fight them all… what am I supposed to do?! —

He kept running, doubt consuming him.

Without warning, from a side alley, he spotted a hooded figure watching him.

— And who would that be…? —

The figure lifted a manhole cover and gestured for him to enter.

— Seriously?! —

Another attack grazed his back.

«It’s now or never…»

He turned sharply.

«Again!»

He raised his blade.

«Spirit Slayer!»

The blinding light engulfed the men.

When their vision cleared...

«Where did he go?! Search for him, he can’t be far!»

In the underground, Kaito stopped to catch his breath, his back against the damp wall.

The stench of the sewer was nauseating, the light almost nonexistent.

He took a deep breath, then straightened up.

The hooded figure was still there. Motionless. Watching him.

Kaito spoke to them.

«I don’t know who you are… but thank you.» He walked past, ready to leave.

«Wait.»

The voice stopped him.

The figure slowly lowered the hood.

In the faint light, the face of a very young boy took shape, no older than twelve.

Eyes black as pitch. Short, messy dark hair.

— A child?! — he thought, surprised.

«You’re the criminal, right?» the boy asked in a gentle voice.

«If you really are that Kaito…» he hesitated for a moment.

Then he lowered his gaze.

«Please… help me.»

The request completely caught Kaito off guard.

Follow my story… you won’t regret it.