CHAPTER-1:(PROLOGUE)SEASON-1
10:23 PM.
Bench No. 9.
Reika Kagetsu sat alone. The wind brushed past, but didn't touch her—as if even the breeze didn't dare. Her eyes were dull, dead. Lips slightly parted like she forgot how to breathe.
"You were always a laser, Reika."
Her father's voice echoed in her skull like an old curse.
"I just wanted to make you proud," she whispered, her voice thin. "I got fifth place…"
"Fifth place?" The rage in his voice twisted the air.
A glass shattered. A belt raised.
She flinched. Not at the memory—but at how numb she'd become to it.
"You'll die if you go outside!"
"Shikiban are everywhere!"
Her dad's voice boomed.
"Stay inside!" her mother had begged. "It's not safe—Reika, please!"
She didn't listen. She never listened.
And she stepped outside anyway.
The street was dead silent. Neon signs blinked lazily in the distance. Tokyo felt like a forgotten god—tired and rotting.
Most people locked their doors after 8 PM. Everyone knew the warnings.
"The Shikiban are still active," the news anchor said.
"They are beautiful. Too beautiful. And deadly. Walking among us in perfect skin."
"They first appeared during the cholera pandemic, over 2000 years ago. Their origin? Unknown. But their hunger? Absolute."
Reika sighed.
"Why is life like this? Why does studying even matter? Can't I just read my books and not pretend everything's fine?"
She looked up at the sky. Hollow stars. Heavy heart.
Then stood to leave.
"What's a human doing out this late?"
A voice. Smooth. Sweet. Too sweet.
Reika froze.
A boy stood under a flickering lamp. Smiling. Too handsome to be real.
"W-Who are you?" she asked, voice cracking.
His smile widened. Eyes glowing. Veins pulsed across porcelain skin.
Fangs. Long, gleaming. His hair extended like shadowy silk.
Reika stumbled back.
"Shikiban…"
"I'm just hungry," he said, voice thick like honey laced with blood.
"You humans make it so easy."
A grotesque arm—long and boneless like an octopus tentacle—slithered out behind her. Reika screamed.
"Please, I just wanted to live!"
The hand wrapped around her, lifted her into the air. Cold against her neck. Pressure tightening.
Tears ran down her face.
"I don't want to die…" she choked.
SLASH.
Something dropped.
She hit the ground hard—dust and silence.
"Huh?"
She blinked. Something—someone—stood in front of her.
A tall man.
His katana dripped with glowing black blood. His coat—dark grey and tattered—fluttered in the wind.
Silver-white hair spilled over his eyes. Both covered by black fabric.
A diamond-shaped badge gleamed on his chest.
And on his back: a crest.
"Why are Shikiban still crawling around?" he muttered, clearly annoyed.
The Shikiban tried to retreat—panic flashing across its once-smug face.
Too late.
In a blink—slash. slice. silence.
The monster was reduced to pieces.
Its body burned into brilliant black flames, absorbed cleanly into the man's katana. Like it belonged there.
Reika stared, speechless.
He turned to her. Smiled faintly.
"You look like a scared little kitten."
"I'm not a kitten!" she snapped, flustered.
He chuckled softly.
"Sure, sure."
Then his tone dropped. Serious.
He pulled out a black envelope and held it out.
She hesitated—then took it.
Inside, a letter:
"Dear Reika Kagetsu,
You've been selected as one of the 049 recruits for this year's entry into Tenshiko Academy.
Your trials begin at dawn.
— Tenshiko Academy"
Her hands trembled.
She looked up.
But the man… was gone.
Just like that.
Wind blew again.
And this time—it touched her.