Inheritance of the Spiral Dragon

"When blood echoes through generations, even curses are reborn with names."

—Master Tengen

Kyoto Prefecture — Abandoned Subdistrict 5,

Some Stupid Hour:

Fog thick as old cigarette smoke just oozed through the busted-up streets—nobody'd fixed a damn thing out here in ages. Power lines dangling like dead snakes. The buildings? They looked like they were crying mold. If a sorcerer had half a brain, they'd keep the hell away, but here we are, right? Too many stories, too many things you don't wanna see.

Yuji, Megumi, Nobara, and Akashi crunched along, boots scraping against gravel that hadn't seen sunlight in years. The cursed energy? Tasted like copper and rot, hung in your lungs.

Yuji whispered, voice all shaky, "This place is straight nightmare fuel."

Nobara glanced around, not even pretending to act tough. "It's not just creepy. Its Something's eating up the energy here. And has a Big appetite."

Akashi's eyes went all gold and weird. Nothing good ever started with that look.

"The Spiral's back. I can feel it… echoing through my bones or whatever."

The House of Spirals

They found their prize: a two-story corpse of a house, spiral runes slashed in blood across the walls and shutters. Door had a handprint scorched right in the center. Real subtle.

Akashi's curse mark started throbbing. Like the house was looking right at him.

He muttered, "This dump remembers me."

Megumi clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You don't gotta do it alone."

Akashi shook him off. "Yeah, I kinda do."

And in he went. Solo.

Door just creaked open on its own. Classic haunted house move.

Inside — Spiral-Bound Kid

Everything inside was shadows and dust—except for Akashi. His vision cut through darkness like a knife. Sitting in the center was a kid, maybe ten years old, The talismans shaped like dragon teeth scattered all around.

That Kid's eyes popped open. Spiral pupils—like Akashi's, but flipped, like a bad mirror.

"You actually came," the boy said, voice soft but sharp.

Akashi hesitated. You could almost hear his thoughts short-circuiting.

"…Who the hell are you?"

"I'm your shadow. Spiral made flesh. You made me when you couldn't kill her."

"Her…?"

The Kid nodded at a shriveled altar in the corner. Some kind of shrine. The remains—his mother.

"The Spiral Cult used her up to create me. To anchor your curse."

Akashi staggered. The whole room felt tight, claustrophobic. The spiral marks around the kid started spinning, faster and faster.

"You're not some puppet," Akashi breathed. "You're… my other half."

The boy stood, eyes burning.

"Prove it. Or get erased."

Outside — Things Gone Boom

Suddenly, every window in the house exploded outward the glasses, splinters, cursed energy everywhere. Nobara threw up her arms, cursing. And then she just sprinted in before anyone could say a damn thing. Yuji bolted after her, jaw tight.

Megumi? He just summoned his Divine Dogs, staying cool. "He's up against something personal. We gotta be ready."

Inside — Spiral Throwdown

That Kid moved first. His cursed technique? Spiral Fractured. Bunch of twisting, snapping strikes that cracked the floor and bent Akashi's guard like it was tinfoil.

Akashi went Muay Thai—elbow, spinning kick, all muscle and rage—but the boy slipped right through, hissing:

"You left us behind."

"You're not even real."

"Funny, you bleed just like me."

Akashi's dragon glyph caught fire, golden-red flames curling up his arms. Looked badass, honestly.

"Guess I'll torch the parts forged from lies."

"Dragon Tongue: Hollow Burst!"

The blast smashed into Spiral Fracture. Cursed energy twisted, blinding white flash—like a nuke went off and smoke filled everywhere..then after sometime the Smoke cleared. And the kid was swaying, blood dripping from his nose.

"You didn't hold back. That means… my job's done."

Akashi came closer, slow. Careful.

"I won't pretend you aren't real. But you don't get to be in charge."

That Kid smiled—sad, relieved, maybe both. Tears in his eyes.

"Then let me go. Just… as your echo."

He vanished, spiral light floating up like fireflies.

Akashi dropped to one knee. Head spinning.

"This isn't over. The Spiral's still out there."

Aftermath

Nobara caught Akashi before he could faceplant to the ground 

"You alive?"

"Barely."

"Good, 'cause you owe me ramen, dumbass."

He managed a crooked grin anyway.

Yuji and Megumi came in, quiet.

Megumi frowned. "That cult… they're doing way more than we guessed."

Yuji nodded. "And they know Akashi's inside out."

Akashi wiped the blood off his face, got up on wobbly legs.

"Then let's make sure they never see what's coming next."