"Reiji, wait!" Himiko shouted, jogging along with her backpack bouncing on her back.
Reiji stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and turned around with a half-smile. "You walk really slow, Himiko."
"That's a lie!" she retorted, puffing out her cheeks. "I just got distracted watching that dog scratch its belly like you do in the mornings"
Reiji let out a brief chuckle. "Are you really comparing to just any old dog?"
"No," Himiko murmured as she caught up to him and hooked her arm through his. "Because even if you were a dog, you'd still be my favorite dog"
Reiji didn't answer. He simply looked at her with a mix of tenderness and resignation. It had always been like this: Himiko found the strangest ways to show affection, and over ti, she had beco even more attached.
She talked nonstop, jumping between topics in no particular order: what they ate at school, the rumor about a teacher who wore a wig, the weird new kid who was giving her dirty looks... But every few sentences, her attention would return to Reiji.
She kept looking for any kind of reaction she might get from her brother. School hours were unfortunate and almost torturous, not because of the classes, but rather because of Himiko's separation from her brother.
Although Reiji enjoyed having his own space, it was where he could feel his own space as his own.
That day, their mother hadn't been able to pick them up. Nothing unusual—just a work delay. So they were walking ho alone along the sa route as always, the one that ran alongside a row of old shops, rusty streetlights, and silent streets.
It was a different place from where Himiko´s Quirk had awakened; they had transferred to a middle school on the other side of town to avoid those very streets.
But as they turned onto an empty intersection, Reiji caught the distinct scent of blood in the distance. It reminded him of what happened a few years ago, but the scent wasn't human… Not like that ti.
"Reiji… Why are you so quiet?"
He didn't answer right away. Himiko kept talking as usual. She hadn't noticed yet.
'Better that way'
He veered slightly off course, trying to bypass the area without drawing attention.
Anyway, he dismissed the scent as coming from an animal.He was curious what kind of animal slled like that, but human and animal blood didn't sll the sa to his nose.
"I'm just thinking," he said finally, without looking at her.
Himiko frowned, puffing out her cheeks as if she expected him to apologize. "Thinking about , right?"
That did make him smile. Just a little.
"Not really."
"Liar!" she exclaid, squeezing his arm. "I know you're always thinking about , even if you don't say it."
He didn't answer. He let her have her way.
Reiji tried to move away from the source of the scent, trying to prevent Himiko from slling it too. But the sudden sound of a cat owing thwarted his plan.
"Reiji…" Himiko murmured, noticing the sound and now the scent in the air, which had grown thicker.
"We have to help that cat!" Himiko exclaid as her body began to run toward the scent her nose had detected.
"Himiko, don't stray from !" he shouted, running after her. Due to the sudden movent, he didn't have ti to react, and Himiko was quite fast and agile.
They didn't have to go far to reach the scene.
To their right, the alley that used to be filled with trash bags and city noise was now overrun by three teenagers. On the ground in front of them lay the sa cat Reiji had seen days earlier.
"What are you doing to Copito!?" Himiko, far from being intimidated by the three teenagers, confronted them imdiately upon noticing that the orange cat was bleeding as if it had been cut.
The three turned their gaze toward the siblings. Reiji sized them up imdiately while putting his body between them and Himiko.
"Oh, the great heroes have arrived. But aren't you a little too small?" the first one mocked, before another stepped forward.
"Get lost, kids. You have no business here."
"Do you really think so?" Reiji replied neutrally, but he had already taken a subtle step forward, leaving Himiko half a step behind. "Leave the cat alone."
"Hey, calm down," said the last guy. He was stockier, with weathered skin, and a torn jacket that didn't hide his bandaged knuckles.
"We were just showing him so affection. Or do you guys want a little affection from your elders too?"
Himiko gave Reiji's arm a slight tug. Her body and mind understood what was happening. The situation had gotten out of hand into sothing more complicated and no longer had the sense of security it had at the start.
Reiji looked at her and understood her expression; Himiko was worried about the cat, but her concern for her younger brother was much greater.
"Don't worry… Copito will be fine," Reiji whispered with a smile. This made Himiko's face light up completely.
He could have left and let things be, but he wouldn't be able to sleep if he left it at that.
'That cat is Himiko's friend; I can't let them keep hurting it like a bunch of damn savages.'
"How old are you, ten, maybe eleven? Aren't you too young to promise things you can't deliver?" the first one said confidently.
"Just leave the cat alone and go…" Reiji replied with a frown; the cat's blood was slightly triggering his bloodlust.
'My Quirk works based on instinct; if my bloodlust spikes, the power of my Quirk and my control increase proportionally.'
"A kid giving orders?" The biggest one smiled, and the three teenagers stepped forward. The cat in the back didn't even move when it saw the opening; it had lost quite a bit of blood, and its body looked badly battered.
"Himiko, step back," Reiji said seriously, setting his backpack aside. He was ready to fight; his blood was beginning to surge within him, ready to be unleashed at his command.
The girl looked Reiji in the eyes, only to notice his gaze completely fixed on the thugs. Himiko wasn't sure what to do, but she would definitely trust that Reiji was capable of handling everything.
It didn't even matter if using his Quirk in a street fight was illegal.
"Fine… You asked for it, kid."
Reiji took a step forward, his gaze trying to figure out if they had a hidden weapon or so Quirk ability he hadn't noticed before. From his fingertips, blood began to seep out, unseen by the thugs.
When they were close enough, ready for a quick attack.
The first one lunged at Reiji, trying to land a punch to his chest that was blocked by Reiji's arms. Using his recovery ability, he could withstand a few blows before surprising them with his blood-based Quirk.
While Reiji blocked one attacker, the second took the opportunity to try to strike Reiji's unprotected side, while Reiji saw out of the corner of his eye that the third was ready on his other side to strike him.
It was at that mont that his blood shot out from various parts of his body toward the three attackers in a point-blank assault. The three thugs looked at each other in surprise at the sudden display of crimson mass.
But before it could hit them, eight red feathers interposed themselves between the two sides, two feathers attacking each one. The thugs didn't have ti to react as their clothes were grabbed by the sharp tips and they were forcefully slamd against the wall, far from the crimson mass.
"What the…?!"
"A hero?!"
"Shit, I can't break free!"
Reiji, on the other hand, managed to react, and a barrier of blood stood between the projectiles and his body, blocking the surprise attack without much trouble.
'Is there a fourth? No... Judging by how they reacted, it's soone else.'
"Did you really plan to use your Quirks right out in the open?"
No one answered.
"What a hassle…"
From atop the buildings lining the alley, a figure appeared. He was supported by a pair of red feathers, which were the sa color as the feathers the three thugs had pinned to their clothes.
Reiji deactivated his crimson do, his thirst for blood subsiding in the face of a more important event. The two feathers that had fallen to the ground in front of Reiji began to rise back toward the sky.
'A fifth person?'
"Let us go, you bastard! Or do you want a beating too?!" Far from understanding their situation, the trio of thugs began to threaten the newcor. The red-haired man rely gave them a subtle glance, then ignored the hooligans.
"Are you okay?" The red-haired man turned toward the siblings, Reiji exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Then he looked down at Himiko.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded, still sowhat surprised by the situation but visibly relaxed.
Then Himiko's gaze fell on the small, dying cat that was struggling more and more to breathe.
"Don't worry about the cat; I'll take it to get treated. As for them, I'll call the police and explain what happened. By then, you shouldn't be here, or you'll get into trouble."
The man explained quickly. Reiji just watched him for a mont.
'How long has he been watching...? And why hasn't the other person shown up yet?'
Then his gaze fell on the criminals and the cat, causing his brow to furrow even more.
"Thank you very much, sir. I'll leave it in your hands. Let's go ho, Himiko."
He turned around and took his sister's hand firmly, leaving no room for refusal.
The man just watched them with a slight nod.
"But how can we trust Copito to a stranger? What if he can't find his way ho afterward?" Himiko asked, trying to question Reiji's decision, but he didn't hesitate for a mont.
"Cats know how to find their way back; they always do. Don't worry about that. We have to get ho, or Mom will worry about us," he explained casually to ease Himiko's mind a little. He could feel the man's gaze still fixed on them—a sensation similar to what he felt when he was being watched by a mysterious entity.
"Were you the one behind this?" Reiji wondered doubtfully, observing how, despite it being a busy hour due to the end of the school day, the streets were strangely empty.
"Hey, kid! One last thing before you go!" The sudden shout from the two siblings' "Hero" caught their attention, causing them both to turn around.
"What do you want?" Reiji's reaction was more defensive this ti, fearing he might attack them if necessary, but the man's carefree and completely genuine smile relaxed Reiji slightly.
"You have a very good Quirk and a sharp mind. You have a great future ahead of you, don't you think?" The words ca out with a hint of irony that Reiji didn't ignore; he simply gave a small bow in gratitude and turned away again, under the confused gaze of Himiko, who didn't quite understand the true situation.
They kept walking for a few blocks, with Reiji lost in his thoughts and Himiko worried about the cat's fate, whispering whether she'd ever see it again.
When they turned onto the last street, Reiji stopped for a mont. He looked at his sister seriously.
"Let's not say anything to Mom or Dad."
Himiko looked at him with an expression that wavered between relief and anxiety, but she ended up nodding. "Well… But are you okay?"
"Yes, we're fine. Don't worry, and Copito will be fine too."
She smiled faintly, and they continued walking, feeling more relaxed now.
***
Inside a back alley, hidden by the structure of a closed soba shop, the atmosphere was different.
A boy with red wings was leaning against a wall, holding the orange cat in his arms. The animal, now clean and with no visible signs of injury, was purring normally, settling against his chest as if nothing had happened minutes earlier. Its breathing was steady. Its movents were calm.
There was no dical ergency. There never really had been.
In front of him, a slender figure stood motionless. Long coat, dark glasses, upright posture. He showed no interest in the cat. Nor in his surroundings.
"Results?" he asked, his tone unchanged.
The blond let out a brief laugh, tilting his head.
"The boy… He's interesting."
He paused a second longer than necessary, as if reviewing the scene.
"He wanted to face them head-on. Without hesitation. He didn't even consider retreating when he saw the nurical disadvantage. He moved first to cover his sister, then tried to use his advantages."
He ran a hand along the cat's back, which responded with a slight movent.
"He didn't panic. He analyzed quickly and devised a strategy based on the information he had."
The figure in front of him didn't react.
"Get to the point."
The blond exhaled through his nose, still wearing a faint smile.
"He has a dangerous mindset. He let himself get hit and show weakness, only to finish off his opponent in an unexpected way. He doesn't back down easily, and he stays calm in tense monts."
He glanced sideways at the alley, as if he could still see the previous scene.
"We had to intervene before it escalated. Our guys were caught off guard; even if we'd let them fight for real, I don't know if they would've co out unscathed. A couple more seconds and the situation would've gone beyond what we wanted."
He paused briefly.
"When my partner showed up, he didn't ask too many questions. He didn't seek explanations. He just assessed the situation and vaguely understood what was happening—he even grasped my presence quickly. That's also… interesting."
Silence.
The man pulled a small notebook from inside his coat. He didn't look at the blond man as he wrote.
"Suitable."
He closed the notebook with a crisp motion.
He added nothing more.
He turned and began to walk away, disappearing into the shadows of the alley as if he had never been there.
Before vanishing completely, he left one last sentence.
"Rember to keep watching. This isn't over."
The blond man looked in his direction for a few seconds, then at the cat, who remained settled without a care in the world.
The wings moved slightly.
"Yeah, yeah… work, work… I should be enjoying my age, and yet, here I am," he muttered listlessly, though the smile didn't fade.
He looked in the direction the siblings had gone.
"Really interesting…"
***
Reiji was sitting at his desk, alone with the lamp lit. His fingers tapped on the wood, barely audible, as if he were marking the rhythm of his thoughts.
His notebook on the history of this world lay open before him, and he was going through the nas he'd written down one by one. The drawings and abilities were also an important factor.
But he couldn't find a single profile that perfectly matched what he'd seen that day.
A few days had passed since the alley incident; Himiko and Reiji hadn't told their parents anything. The next day, Copito the cat had shown up as if nothing had happened, which made Reiji even more suspicious.
He hadn't heard any news about it. He had returned to the spot alone on one of his mother's shopping errands, and there was no trace of the drops of blood he had intentionally left there that day.
However, that day he had found a small note carefully placed so that anyone passing by who was interested would pick it up without hesitation.
Now, with Himiko nowhere near, without the constant buzz of the day, there were no more excuses.
He unfolded it.
Reiji leaned forward slightly. His eyes scanned each letter with tense slowness, as if he wanted to make sure he didn't misinterpret anything.
"If you have this, then you've passed. Congratulations!"
Reiji frowned. But he kept reading the lines.
"I'm sure you're wondering who I am, or who we are. You're young, but I'm pretty sure you know exactly what's going on; if not, you wouldn't be reading this."
His gaze sharpened.
"You want to beco a hero, don't you?"
Reiji raised an eyebrow; that wasn't quite right, but he assud it was because of the way he'd behaved while trying to protect the cat.
"Though with that bloodthirsty streak of yours, it might get a bit complicated."
He stood motionless. The paper in his hands. His heart pounding with a force that didn't show on his face. They weren't supposed to know that… No one was supposed to know.
"But don't worry, we have it all planned out!"
He pressed his lips together. Uncomfortable with the way the letter was written, he read on nonetheless.
"A hero ans sacrifice, acts that not everyone notices."
That line… That taphor. The sa one his father had embodied in his past life—a silent hero for humanity…
"The right eyes are already watching you. Sotis, the quietest wings don't co from the sky. They fly low, so as not to arouse suspicion"
And right below, as if the author had hesitated to write it, in a corner in fainter ink.
"See you soon, stay alert"
A faint sigh escaped his lips. Despite not having given his permission, he was already part of soone's ga, and inevitably, it would put his own family at risk.
'It's definitely not AFO... The Hero Commission, or the Quirk Liberation Front?'
He glanced at his notebook a couple more tis, just to confirm a few things. He closed his eyes for a few seconds.
'I'm in deeper trouble than I thought.'
***
If you want to access all the content published so far, you can support the project on Patreon for just $2 USD. → [p4tre0n.c0m/MisterCreator]
Anyway, thanks for reading and supporting. And if you leave so good stones, I would appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
User Comments
0 comments from readers