The next day, after the incident, news came out. It was stated that a Yomurei attacked in Shinjuku—surprisingly, the Yomurei Detector did not work properly. It was reported that the cause was overuse and malfunction. And just one twelve-year-old kid survived. The three Yomu Executioner who protected him died on the spot.

  The Tenka Corps tried to cover the incident with that story. But some people knew better.

  [Tenka Corps Main Building]

  Akihiro was buried in paperwork. His office was silent except for the sound of his pen scratching across the page. The morning light leaked faintly through the blinds, streaking across the piles of folders on his desk.

  “I think my back is hurting,” he muttered, stretching his arms behind him. “Am I too old for this? No way... I’m still not a senior. But I’m already turning 50.”

  A sharp knock came at the door.

  “Sir! I have a report!”

  “Come in,” Akihiro said without looking up.

  The door opened, and a young worker entered, clutching a thick brown folder to his chest. His voice was formal but shaky.

  “Sir! The reports of the Mei-Rank we dispatched last night came in. They said the three Yomu Executioner on the scene died protecting a child. They already created a story for the media to release. Some of it’s true, but most are... modified. It’s stated that the Yomurei Detector malfunctioned and overused, which is why it didn’t detect the Yomurei.”

  Akihiro leaned back in his chair, tapping his pen on the table. “Hmm... but did they investigate why the Yomurei Detector didn’t work?”

  “No, sir! There was nothing left to investigate. The Yomurei Detector was destroyed completely, and the area was almost unrecognizable. The bodies are already being buried at Reikon Grounds.”

  Akihiro set his pen down. “Have you confirmed the name and background of the kid who survived?”

  “Not yet, sir! We’re still gathering data from nearby hospitals and residents.”

  “I see... thanks for the report. You may leave now.”

  “Thank you, sir!” The worker bowed deeply and exited.

  As the door closed, Akihiro stared quietly at the faint reflection of his face on his desk. The silence of the office grew heavy.

  “What’s happening to the world,” he muttered. His gaze shifted toward an old photo frame of four smiling young Yomu Executioner standing shoulder to shoulder. He picked it up, brushing away a thin layer of dust. “Ryo-san… I wonder if you’d be the strongest Yomu Executioner if you were still alive. You’d make a better leader than me, that’s for sure.”

  He set the photo down carefully. “Since my work’s light these days, I’ll visit the hospital. I’m curious about that boy. In my long experience as a Shinrei-Rank Yomu Executioner, no mere Ha-Rank can defeat a B+ Yomurei.”

  He reached for the phone on his desk and dialed. “Hayato,” he said, “prepare a car for me. We’re going to Reimei Medical Center. There’s someone I need to see.”

  “Yes, sir,” the voice on the line replied.

  Akihiro stood up, straightening his coat. His eyes lingered on the stacks of reports for one last second before he walked out, expression unreadable.

  [Reimei Medical Center]

  The quiet hum of machines filled the white room. I was still sleeping, unconscious. But my mind wasn’t resting—it was trapped in that place again.

  I was standing in a dark red void. It pulsed like veins, glowing faintly beneath my feet. A distant voice echoed through the silence.

  “Ren…”

  I turned, but no one was there. Only a shadow.

  Then everything flashed—the Yomurei’s roar, Kaito’s blood, the explosion of red light from my own hand. The voice became clearer.

  “You are not alone. You and I... are the same.”

  Suddenly, I heard another voice—faint, trembling, but familiar.

  “Ren... run…”

  I gasped and woke up.

  The ceiling above me was white. The air smelled like alcohol and medicine. My body ached all over, and the faint beeping of a machine echoed beside me.

  “That was...”

  “You’re awake,” said a calm voice from the side. “I see you’ve had a bad dream. I can’t blame you after what you just saw and experienced.”

  I turned my head. A tall man in uniform stood near the window, his arms crossed, a soft smile on his face.

  “You are…?” I asked.

  “Don’t worry, kid,” he said. “You’re safe. Right now, you’re in Reimei Medical Center. You collapsed last night, and we brought you here.”

  I blinked slowly. “You brought me here...?”

  “That’s right,” he replied, walking closer. “I’m Hiroshi Takamura, the leader of Team Kurogasa. The other two who were with me are Kaori Minase and Kazuto Saeki. We’re all Mei-Rank and work under the command of Takashi Kamizuru, the fourth Shinrei-Rank of Japan.”

  “Mei-Rank?” I thought. “That’s the second strongest rank in the Corps…”

  He smiled faintly. “You’re lucky, you know. We found you just before dawn. If we had arrived ten minutes later, you’d probably be gone.”

  I stayed quiet for a moment. “Um... thanks for... saving me,” I said softly.

  “No problem,” he said, smiling kindly. “It’s our job as Yomu Executioner to save people from Yomurei.”

  He looked at me again, studying my face. “What’s your name, kid?”

  “I am Ren… Ren Kazenagi.”

  “Ren Kazenagi, huh? I’ll remember that. You’re a brave kid.” He crossed his arms again, still watching me. “Why don’t you try becoming a Yomu Executioner someday? Serve the country, fight the Yomurei. What do you think?”

  The thought made me pause. A Yomu Executioner…

  I didn’t even understand half of what I’d seen that night. The Yomurei, Kaito’s fight, the red power that came from me—I didn’t even know what that was.

  But hearing him say it felt… strange. A part of me wanted to say yes, but the other part was still afraid.

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  Before I could answer, a knock came at the door.

  “Who’s there?” Hiroshi asked.

  “It’s Akihiro—Akihiro Saiten. Mind if I come in?”

  Hiroshi’s eyes widened. He looked shocked. I could tell from his expression that this wasn’t just anyone.

  Akihiro Saiten…

  That name—Kaito mentioned it before. The man who built the Tenka Corps itself.

  “S-Saiten-san?” Hiroshi said under his breath. “Why is he here? Is he here to meet Ren?”

  He straightened immediately. “Right away, sir!” He quickly went to the door and opened it.

  Akihiro stood there in his long black coat, his sharp eyes calm but heavy. Behind him were two men in identical uniforms—his personal bodyguards. Their presence alone was enough to fill the air with tension.

  “Sir,” Hiroshi said formally, bowing slightly. “If I may ask, why are you here? Are you visiting Ren?”

  “So his name is Ren,” Akihiro said, his tone calm but analytical. “May I have some private time with him, if I’m not interfering?”

  “O-of course, sir!” Hiroshi answered immediately.

  “Thank you.” Akihiro nodded once.

  “Well then, sir, if you’ll excuse me.” Hiroshi bowed again and left the room, closing the door behind him. The two guards stayed outside.

  Akihiro walked toward the chair beside my bed and sat down slowly. His gaze felt heavy—like he could see through every thought I had.

  “Ren… is it?” he said.

  “Yes... sir. Ren Kazenagi,” I replied nervously. “Umm... may I ask why you’re here? Do you need something from me?”

  “I’m glad you asked,” he said. “I’ll be direct. I don’t like wasting words.”

  He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His eyes, sharp and unreadable, locked with mine.

  “Ren Kazenagi,” he said calmly. “Be a Yomu Executioner. Join the Tenka Corps.”

  I froze. My heart skipped a beat.

  “Huh...?”

  He continued, his voice steady. “I’ve been in this organization long enough to recognize potential. What happened in Shinjuku wasn’t normal. You survived when even trained Yomu Executioner didn’t. I don’t know how or why—but that kind of survival instinct, that kind of power… it’s something the Corps needs.”

  “I... I don’t understand,” I said quietly. “I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t move. I was terrified.”

  “And yet you lived,” Akihiro said. “Sometimes that’s what makes the difference between life and death on the battlefield.”

  He stood up, fixing his coat. “The Tenka Corps protects this nation from Yomurei, but lately… we’ve been losing too many good people. I won’t force you, but think about it. If what I suspect about you is true, you’ll have a purpose much greater than just surviving.”

  He looked at me one last time. “We’ll speak again soon, Ren Kazenagi.”

  Then he turned toward the door and left the room without another word.

  Outside, I could hear Hiroshi’s faint voice greeting him again, followed by footsteps fading down the hall.

  I sat there, speechless. My mind was spinning.

  Join the Tenka Corps…? Me?

  The words repeated over and over in my head, like a quiet echo I couldn’t escape.

  “Hiroshi also invited me to join the corps earlier and become a Yomu Executioner. But why do they want me to? Dad said I will be a strong Yomu Executioner, Kaito said I have the potential to grow stronger than him, and Hiroshi said that I’m a brave kid. Now why does the founder of Tenka Corps, Akihiro Saiten, want me to become a Yomu Executioner?” I said in my mind.

  Akihiro leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms while observing me like he was reading through my thoughts. His expression was calm, but his eyes—those sharp, calculating eyes—never lost focus.

  “You might be wondering why a guy like me would recruit a kid who doesn’t have any experience in being a Yomu Executioner,” he said with a faint smile. “I’ll answer your question directly. It’s because you might have… special powers.”

  My heart skipped a beat. His words cut through the silence like a blade.

  Special powers.

  Those words alone made my whole body tense. My hands clenched the blanket tightly as if I could crush my fear through the fabric.

  “I…” I hesitated, trying to keep my face neutral. “What do you mean, sir?”

  Akihiro stood up and walked closer to the hospital window, looking at the distant skyline of Tokyo. “No mere Ha-Rank Yomu Executioner can defeat two B+ Yomurei, especially during a surprise attack. I’ve read the profiles of those who died that night. None of them possessed unique Shin’en or special combat traits. They were capable, yes—but ordinary.” He turned to face me again. “You, however… you’re the only survivor. That makes you a key piece in this puzzle.”

  He was suspicious—his words, his tone, everything. I could feel the pressure of his rank without him even raising his voice.

  I looked down, trying to calm my racing heart. “He isn’t just a normal Shinrei-Rank and the strongest Yomu Executioner,” I thought. “He’s someone who can see through lies.”

  Akihiro must’ve noticed my silence. He took a deep breath and said softly, “Don’t worry, Ren. I promise I’ll keep this between us. Those guards outside—they’re loyal to me. They won’t reveal any secret unless I command them to.”

  Somehow, his words made me feel a little safer. But even then, a part of me whispered not to trust anyone too easily. I wanted to know if this man truly meant what he said—or if he was just another politician behind a gentle face.

  “S-sir…” I said hesitantly.

  “What’s wrong, Ren?”

  “H-how… can I know that I can trust you?”

  Akihiro looked stunned for a moment, then laughed—a genuine, lighthearted laugh that filled the room.

  “That was a funny thing to say, Ren.”

  “Wh-wha— I shouldn’t have said that!” I screamed inside my head, feeling my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

  But Akihiro waved his hand dismissively, still smiling. “Alright then, shall I tell you one of my secrets?”

  “You don’t have to go that far, sir!” I said quickly, shaking my head.

  “Haha, we need to be equal, don’t we? Just because I hold a higher position doesn’t mean I can’t share something.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice like he was about to reveal something grave. “The truth is… when I was young, I used to cry on my mother’s shoulder every time I got scolded for breaking something.”

  I blinked, surprised. “Huh?”

  Before I knew it, I was laughing. The tension broke like a cracked mirror. He laughed too, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

  “So,” he said, smiling again, “will you tell me your secret now?”

  He was different from what I expected. I could tell that deep inside, even though he was strong and brave, he was still human—a man who carried both power and warmth. That alone made me drop my guard.

  “Okay, sir,” I said, looking down again, my voice softer. “I’ll tell you.”

  And I did. I told him everything that happened that night—what I saw, what I didn’t understand, and what that strange voice said before I lost control. Every word came out like I was bleeding the truth from my chest.

  “I see…” Akihiro said after a long silence. He looked deep in thought, his fingers tapping his chin. “So that’s what happened. A mysterious voice inside you that’s powerful enough to destroy a B+ Yomurei in one strike?”

  He looked more intrigued than surprised. Still, his brow furrowed slightly, as if something about it didn’t fit. “Unbelievable,” he muttered. “Even for someone like me, that’s hard to imagine.”

  “Unbelievable, right? Even I don’t believe what happened last night,” I said, my voice trembling. “Even now, I still wish Kaito, Airi, and Daigo were still alive.”

  Akihiro’s eyes softened. “You miss them.”

  “I do,” I whispered.

  He sighed. “Loss is part of our duty, Ren. It’s cruel, but it’s the reality we face every day. Still, I understand.” Then, he looked serious again. “Ren, you said that voice… it spoke to you?”

  “Yes. It told me to run.”

  “Hm…” He crossed his arms. “That might be linked to your Shin’en. Or something beyond that.”

  There was a pause. The air grew heavy again. I hesitated before asking, “Um… Sir Saiten… would I be getting… experimented on? Or… researched because of this?”

  “Experimented?” Akihiro blinked, then chuckled. “No way that’s going to happen.”

  “What?”

  “We’re not doing that. You’re just a kid who doesn’t understand his powers yet,” he said firmly. “This isn’t some lab where we use people as test subjects.”

  “Is that so?!” I said, unable to hide my relief. My voice came out louder than I intended, but for once, I didn’t care.

  Akihiro smiled faintly. “But remember this, Ren—your power isn’t something ordinary. If the public learns about it, they might use you as a secret weapon against the Yomurei… or worse, against other nations. Power attracts greed.”

  His words echoed in my mind. I realized he was right. If anyone knew what happened that night, they’d see me as nothing but a tool—a weapon to control. But deep down, part of me wanted to understand that power… to uncover what it really was.

  I clenched my fists. “I… I want to be a Yomu Executioner, sir. Maybe if I do, I can find clues about this power—and the truth behind it.”

  Akihiro’s face brightened. “That’s the spirit, Ren!”

  He stood up, his coat fluttering slightly as he turned toward the door. “The first step to becoming a Yomu Executioner is attending the academy. You’ll learn everything there—combat, Shin’en control, Yomurei classifications, and more. If you get the chance… you might even uncover what’s inside you.”

  “The academy…” I repeated softly.

  He nodded. “I’ll have you enrolled later today. Starting tomorrow, you’ll attend.”

  “Wait—tomorrow? Isn’t that a bit too fast?!” I exclaimed.

  “I know you’ll be ready,” he said, waving his hand casually as he walked toward the door.

  I watched his back as he left the room. The two guards outside bowed slightly when he exited, then followed him down the hall. The door closed softly, leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

  I stared at the ceiling, letting out a shaky breath. My mind was swirling with everything that had just happened. Becoming a Yomu Executioner… fighting Yomurei… understanding my power.

  Could I really do it?

  I touched my chest where I felt that strange pulse the night before—the same place that burned when that voice spoke to me. It was quiet now, but I knew it was still there, waiting.

  Just thinking about tomorrow made my stomach twist. I’ve never even gone to school. My parents taught me the basics—math, a little science, how to survive—but an academy filled with elite fighters and scholars? I was scared. What if I embarrassed myself? What if I wasn’t strong enough?

  But then I remembered Kaito’s last words—his voice still echoing in my head.

  “Ren… run…”

  I smiled faintly. “I’ll run, Kaito. But this time… not away from fear.”

  I looked out the window, watching the sunlight cut through the glass of Reimei Medical Center. The city below was alive as always, unaware of what happened last night—or the monsters lurking beyond their sight.

  Somewhere deep inside me, I could feel a faint hum… like a heartbeat not entirely mine.

  It was quiet. But it was there.

  Waiting.

  Some moments later, Hiroshi entered my room again. He looked tired but still had that friendly smile on his face. Sitting on the same chair Akihiro once occupied, he leaned back and sighed.

  “Damn, Saiten-san’s aura sure is incredible,” he said, half laughing, half nervous. “Not just incredible—insane. I wonder what he wanted to talk to you about.”

  I hesitated for a second, glancing at the folded blanket on my lap. “He wants me to join the Tenka Corps… and become a Yomu Executioner. But first, he said I need to study at the academy before I can actually join.”

  “What?!” Hiroshi shouted, almost falling off his chair. “That’s insane, you know?! Only a few people in history have ever been invited by Saiten-san himself to join the Corps! Some of them even became Shinrei-Ranks—like my supervisor, Takashi-san.” He grinned widely. “Maybe you’ll be one too someday.”

  “What?! No way that will happen. I’m just a normal kid,” I said quickly, waving my hands. “There’s no way I could ever be a Shinrei-Rank.”

  Hiroshi smirked and crossed his arms. “But what if you do? You just have to believe in yourself, Ren. I know you can be a strong Yomu Executioner.”

  I didn’t know how to respond. I smiled faintly, but deep down, I wasn’t sure if I believed that myself.

  [Tenka Corps Main Building — 4:00 PM]

  Akihiro sat alone inside his office, the room dimly lit by the golden hue of the afternoon sun filtering through the blinds. He had a stack of files scattered on his desk, but his focus wasn’t on paperwork. His mind was still on the boy he had just met.

  A knock echoed through the room.

  “Come in,” he said without looking up.

  The door opened. It was the same worker who had reported to him earlier. He held a folder tightly against his chest, breathing slightly fast.

  “Sir,” the worker said, “we’ve confirmed the identity of the child who survived the incident last night.”

  Akihiro’s expression shifted—he leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on one hand. “Good job. Let me see it.”

  The worker walked over, handed the file to him, and bowed respectfully.

  “You may leave now,” Akihiro said.

  “Yes, sir!” The worker bowed again and left the office, closing the door behind him.

  The room fell silent.

  Akihiro slowly opened the file, flipping through the pages until his eyes stopped on a name that made his breath hitch.

  “Ren Kazenagi,” he muttered, eyes narrowing. He continued reading, and then suddenly his hand froze. His expression turned from curiosity… to shock.

  “What…? This is—” He stopped mid-sentence, eyes wide in disbelief. His hand trembled slightly as he turned the page. “I see… so that’s how it is.”

  He leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply as if the truth before him carried a heavy weight. “The two of them… had a child.”

  For a brief moment, his expression softened, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. “So that’s your son, huh? It looks like your child will be an amazing Yomu Executioner.”

  He closed the file slowly and looked out the window, watching the faint glow of the setting sun bathe the city in orange light. “I see now why fate led him here…”

  [Reimei Medical Center]

  Hiroshi stood near the doorway, fastening his gloves and preparing to leave.

  “Well then,” he said, turning toward me, “I should get going. My team still has work tomorrow—another Yomurei hunt.”

  “Okay,” I said softly. “Be safe out there.”

  He smiled. “You too. You’ll need it once the academy starts.”

  We exchanged a small laugh before he left the room.