Ten years had passed since the fall of Yamashiga.
The pain still lived in Jiro's heart, but the flame his father left behind… now burned within him.
His horns were long, elegantly curved with a wild flair. His eyes, a deep crimson, glowed with determination. He wore a black training robe with a white sash tightly fastened at his waist — a symbol of progress and discipline. His breathing was steady. His body, agile.
And now…
…he was sprinting at full speed through a dense, green forest.
Beside him, another young man kept pace: Rayjou Tamashi, a spirited human with a determined face, wearing a martial arts outfit marked with the symbol of the Kamimizu Academy, founded by Jiro's legendary grandfather.
—Jiro, we're almost at the target! —shouted Rayjou between gasps— Are you sure this is the right way to catch it?
—I'm sure, Rayjou. Just trust me… there are still a few things left to do here —Jiro replied firmly, without slowing down.
Suddenly, Jiro leapt from a high branch of an enormous tree.
From above, he spotted their target.
A massive boar, covered in dark, smoldering fur, stomped through the trees, destroying everything in its path. Black flames burst from its head and hooves. Its gaze was wild, filled with rage and ancient fury.
—There you are… —Jiro whispered from the treetop.
The ground shook with each step the beast took.
—Now's the time, Rayjou! Go! —shouted Jiro.
Rayjou quickly nodded and, focusing his spiritual energy, extended his arms and formed a cube-shaped energy field around the boar. The aura was blue, pulsing, alive.
The boar, furious at being trapped, let out a roar that shook the trees… and with a brutal leap, shattered the field, charging straight at Rayjou.
—Rayjou, watch out!! —cried Jiro.
But before the beast could reach him, Jiro descended with a fast spinning kick, striking the boar's back and knocking it toward the nearby river. The creature crashed into the water with a thunderous splash.
Wasting no time, Jiro leapt through the air —using his spiritual energy to propel himself— and, seeing the boar falling, created a spiritual barrier just below it, bouncing the beast back up toward the sky.
The boar squealed in fright, tears bursting from its eyes.
—Your turn, Rayjou! —Jiro shouted.
Rayjou was already at the top of a nearby mountain. He gathered spiritual energy in his right fist —a glowing, crackling blue force— and launched himself down in a fierce dive.
—BLUE SPIRIT – STRIKE OF FURY! —shouted Rayjou.
His fist struck the boar straight in the stomach, and the impact echoed through the entire forest.
…
One hour later
The boar's head rested in front of a campfire.
Jiro and Rayjou sat nearby, hungrily devouring the animal's meat.
—You went way too hard on that poor beast, Rayjou… I wouldn't wish that on even my worst enemy —murmured Jiro between bites—. The goal was to knock it out, not crush its stomach...
—Bah! Doesn't matter how it ended —Rayjou replied, biting into a juicy chunk—. What matters is that now we've got delicious flaming boar! Plus, it was a great morning warm-up.
Jiro laughed heartily.
—You're right… You never stop enjoying this… especially if my grandfather were here… we'd be hunting more than one.
Rayjou froze for a second.
—Wait… Jiro! Speaking of your grandfather… I completely forgot about the academy! We're going to be late!
—Wasn't today the Disciples' Tournament?! —Jiro jumped to his feet—. I totally forgot!
—If we're late, we're getting punished again… —grumbled Rayjou.
—Like the time we had to clean every dojo because we accidentally messed up the spiritual weapons… —Jiro rubbed his head in frustration.
—Or when a Shinketsu opened and instead of sealing it, we tried to act like heroes… and ended up summoning a bear spirit… —Rayjou sighed.
—That was the worst punishment ever… Don't remind me… —groaned Jiro.
—Though honestly… most of the problems are our fault… —said Rayjou, shrugging sadly—. The village knows us as the troublemaker duo…
—And I hate that nickname… —Jiro added, depressed—. It ruins my image in front of the girls…
They both sighed at the same time…
Then looked at each other.
—WHAT ARE WE DOING?! LET'S GO! —they shouted in unison.
And like a bolt of lightning, they dashed off at full speed, leaving behind only bones, ashes, and a fading campfire.
The sun was already high when Jiro and Rayjou came running into the town of Kimizuke, leaving the forest behind. With their clothes flapping in the wind and faces covered in dust, they dashed through the main gate, waking the townspeople with a thick cloud that burst up like an explosion of dirt.
—Koff, koff! —coughed an old man, shaking his cane—. There they go again! The troublemaking duo of Kimizuke!
Jiro and Rayjou barely heard him, steaming from their noses like raging bulls, driven by adrenaline and urgency. They looked up toward the great stone staircase ahead: the Kamimizu Spiritual Academy, founded by Jiro's own grandfather after the fall of the ancient village of Yamashiga.
Ten years ago, that tragedy—known as the Void Phenomenon—had taken not only his home but also his family and entire past. Since then, Jiro had only kept one thing: a crimson moon-shaped rock amulet, a gift from his father before he vanished. A shining gem, warm to the touch, that seemed to pulse every time he trained with resolve.
Despite the pain, Jiro never stopped moving forward. At 15, he had become a strong, determined young man, with the long horns of his Oni lineage, ember-red eyes, and a sharp gaze. His dream remained firm: to become a Dimensional Traveler, like the legendary Raizen Tenkuma, hero of a thousand worlds.
Jiro and Rayjou, childhood friends, shared laughter, fights, and mischief. Both dreamed of great feats, though the town saw them as nothing more than a pair of rowdy troublemakers.
—Fasteeer! —shouted Jiro as they jumped across rooftops with agile strides.
With one last leap, they landed just in time in the stands of the Grand Spiritual Arena at the academy's center. The place pulsed with excitement: hundreds of people, entire families, elders, and children filled the seats to watch the tournament's grand finale.
—Look at that! —exclaimed Jiro, eyes locked on the arena—. We made it just in time for the final match...
In the center of the battlefield, disciple Shinji Zabutsu, the current champion and academy prodigy, stood ready for battle. His opponent, a brave young man who had fought his way to the final round, raised his fists, his body surrounded by burning spiritual energy.
—We already know how this is going to end —said Rayjou with a half-smile—. Still, I'm surprised the other guy made it this far...
—Let's see what happens —Jiro added, intrigued but calm.
The fight began in a burst of flames: the challenger launched fire blasts using his blazing spiritual flow technique, trying to corner Shinji. But Shinji, swift as a feline, dodged each attack with smooth, almost relaxed movements. He spun, slid, and with each step seemed to analyze every angle of his opponent.
—This fight won't last long... —murmured Jiro, watching the movements closely.
Then came the turning point: the challenger gathered energy and unleashed a powerful glacier to trap Shinji. But in the blink of an eye, Shinji redirected it with a counter-attack spiritual wave. The ice bounced back, froze the challenger, and launched him through the air, out of the arena, his eyes spinning like spirals.
Rayjou whistled, impressed.
—Not even five minutes... and he's out!
From the center, Master Kamimizu, the elderly founder of the academy, raised Shinji's hand with a commanding voice:
—The winner of the Lunar Medal Tournament… Shinji Zabutsu!
The crowd erupted in cheers, applause, and cries of excitement. Everyone celebrated the victory of the favorite, as ceremonial banners swayed in the wind all around the dojo.
Jiro crossed his arms and frowned. Though he clapped along, his gaze went far beyond the fight.
Jiro stood up from his seat, clicking his tongue with a resigned gesture.
— I knew it would end like this... —he muttered to himself, adjusting his cape—. Anyway, I'm outta here.
Rayjou, who was next to him, raised an eyebrow, curious.
— Hey, Jiro, where are you going?
— Relax, just going to see the old man —he replied in his usual carefree tone—. We need to be with him so he doesn't suspect we just got here, right?
Rayjou's eyes widened like he had just been snapped out of a trance.
— You're right, man! Let's go, quick!
Both of them rushed off while Shinji, still standing in the training arena, watched them with his cold and calm gaze. His eyes met Jiro's for a moment... and then simply ignored him, as if he wasn't worth paying attention to.
---
Moments later, Jiro and Rayjou arrived at the disciples' meeting hall. Most of them were already there, chatting animatedly... except Shinji.
— Hey, where's Shinji? —asked Rayjou to one of the boys.
— Oh, he decided not to come celebrate —said the disciple as he poured himself a hot drink—. He said he preferred to go straight home. The academy's closing early today, by the way.
— Typical of Mr. Cold —Rayjou said with a mocking smile.
Jiro stretched, placing both hands behind his head.
— He's always been like that. Never liked gatherings or celebrations. Shinji's the kind of person who prefers to be alone.
Rayjou looked at him closely.
— Makes sense that you'd know that. You met him way before I did, when you first arrived in this town...
Then, laughing, another disciple chimed in:
— Or maybe he knows him so well because he lost to him so many times!
The room burst into laughter, and Jiro frowned for a few seconds, but ended up forcing a smile.
It was then that a powerful and severe voice echoed through the room.
— That's enough, please! —boomed Grandpa Kamimizu's voice, instantly commanding respect—. We're not living in the past, we're in the present! So let's leave it at that...
The old man stood up with an intense gaze.
— And you two...
In a blink, his figure vanished as if melting into the air. An instant later, he reappeared behind Jiro and Rayjou, both his hands pressing firmly on their shoulders.
— And you two... where have you been? Haven't seen you since this morning —he asked, eyes blazing, his face shadowed by a deadly aura.
The nearby disciples instinctively stepped back. Rayjou and Jiro stammered in unison.
— W-we... we were... in the kitchen...
— LIARS!!! —the old man roared, and two thunderous blows echoed through the hall like heavenly hammers, shaking the very walls of the academy.
— SORRY!!! —Jiro and Rayjou cried out in unison as they were knocked to the floor, large lumps forming on their heads.
---
Later, on the quiet streets, the trio walked calmly. Rayjou and Jiro sported two prominent bumps on their heads. The silence between them was almost comedic.
— No way... —grumbled Rayjou—. He figured it out!
— I was afraid of that... —Jiro sighed—. But I never thought it'd be that quick.
Rayjou, more calmly, reflected:
— Well, at least... we didn't get punished.
The old man coughed loudly upon hearing that line, and both boys instinctively moved apart.
At that moment, from around a corner, a deep voice called out:
— Hey, Rayjou! Son!
It was a man with a katana at his waist and traditional armor. Rayjou instantly smiled.
— Ah, my dad's here! Jiro, see you tomorrow.
With a flawless bow, he greeted:
— Goodnight, sir Kamimizu.
— Goodnight, Tamashi. Take care —the old man replied with a fatherly tone.
Jiro raised a hand.
— See you tomorrow, buddy.
Rayjou ran toward his father and hugged him with a wide smile. Jiro, from behind, watched them in silence.
— See you tomorrow... —he whispered.
---
Upon arriving at his humble home, the wooden door creaked softly as it slid open. Jiro ran to his mother and hugged her tenderly.
— Hi mom, how are you?
— I'm fine, dear. And how was your day?
Jiro thought about everything that had happened: the boar, the training, the gathering.
— Well... you know, mom. A bit rough...
She smiled sweetly.
— It's alright, dear, go take a bath before dinner.
Grandpa Kamimizu handed a bag of vegetables to his daughter-in-law.
— Mrs. Bo sends these.
— Oh, thank you very much —she said gratefully.
---
Jiro submerged himself in the bamboo hot bath. The warm water wrapped around his tense body, and steam rose in silent spirals. He closed his eyes, letting the heat ease his hardened muscles.
— I really needed this...
His thoughts began to drift. He remembered the image of Rayjou's father hugging his son with pride. He stared at the water moving slowly.
— I wonder what it'd be like... if my father were here with me right now... —he thought, saying nothing aloud.
The night fell peacefully, as Jiro remained there, between the warmth of the water and the memories that never left him.
After a long, relaxing bath, Jiro stepped out of the bamboo tub wrapped in a towel, his hair soaked and his eyes slightly glazed from the heat. As he walked through the wooden corridor of his home, the cool night air brushed against his warm body. Stars had begun to shimmer in the clear sky above the village of Kimizuke.
At the dining table, the scent of freshly cooked rice and sautéed vegetables filled the air. His mother waited with a gentle smile, and Grandpa Kamimizu was already seated, arms crossed, his gaze serious yet calm.
— Come, Jiro —his mother said sweetly—. Eat before it gets cold.
— Yeah, I'm coming —Jiro replied, still lost in thought, as he sat in his place.
During dinner, Jiro said very little. He only responded with slight nods. His mother and grandfather exchanged a few words, but his mind was elsewhere. Memories of his father, the blurry image of his face, and the crimson stone that always hung around his neck like an amulet, kept circling in his thoughts.
That crescent-shaped stone… so bright, so mysterious. Sometimes, he felt it burn faintly when he had strange dreams or when unusual things happened.
That night, after dinner, Jiro lay down on his futon. Outside, the chirping of crickets echoed, and the gentle wind rustled the trees in the backyard. He clutched the amulet tightly, feeling the faint pulse within the stone.
— Father… someday I'll understand what that farewell meant. And someday… I'll find you.
Suddenly, as he closed his eyes, a strange sensation came over him. A vision opened in his mind: a dark forest shrouded in mist, a tall figure wrapped in shadows, and a deep voice whispering his name:
— Jiro…
The boy opened his eyes wide. Sweat ran down his forehead, his chest rising and falling rapidly. The crimson stone hung before his face… and for the first time in years, it seemed to glow on its own with a faint inner light, as if something inside it had awakened.
— Wh-what was that…? —Jiro muttered, his breath trembling, as he touched the stone with shaking fingers.
Outside, in the sky, a shooting star crossed the heavens. And at that very moment, something was awakening far from the village of Kimizuke.
Something that had been asleep for centuries…
In the depths of the night, Jiro sat atop his house, gazing at the starry sky as a cool breeze caressed his face. Suddenly, something disrupted the celestial stillness: a shooting star streaked across the heavens... but it was no ordinary star. Its glow was a fiery red, almost unnatural.
—What an unusual shooting star... —Jiro murmured, his eyes shining—. I've never seen one so red.
He watched it, mesmerized, as the star descended, its color intensifying, resembling boiling blood in the night sky.
—It's... too red, really... How strange...
Then, something impossible happened. A subtle sound, like the cracking of glass, echoed through the air. The sky itself began to fracture, as if the celestial dome were breaking from within, and a scarlet fissure split everything, tinting the stars a dark, turbulent red.
—What the hell...!? —Jiro exclaimed, stepping back.
Immediately, his crescent-shaped red amulet, inherited from his grandfather, began to glow intensely. The falling object passed directly over his house, leaving a trail of fire in the sky before crashing into a nearby hill.
Jiro, eyes fixed on the scene, breathed heavily.
—I didn't know... this could glow... —he said, staring at the amulet in awe—. What the hell just happened...?
Finding no answers and feeling exhaustion hit him, Jiro sighed.
—Better... get some sleep now...
---
The next morning
Jiro ran out of his house, determined. He told no one. His destination was clear: the hill. On the way, he encountered Rayjou.
—Rayjou! Hurry up and come! —he shouted without stopping.
—Hey, are we going hunting again? —Rayjou asked, following him curiously.
But Jiro didn't respond until they reached the foot of the hill.
—No... We're going to do something much better.
—Are you crazy!? —Rayjou yelled upon looking up—. That's Minagumo Hill! The haunted hill! Both your grandfather and my father forbade us from going up there!
Jiro lowered his head slightly, recalling the warning.
—You're right... I remember now.
—Then why do you want to climb it!?
Scratching his head, Jiro muttered:
—It's just... there's something interesting.
—Interesting!? What do you mean by interesting!?
Without answering, Jiro climbed the trees with agility and moved ahead. Rayjou, resigned, grumbled:
—Ugh... I have no choice when he gets like this!
Both boys ascended the hill, venturing into the dense, dark forest. The atmosphere was heavy: remnants of animal skeletons, snakes silently slithering among branches...
—I-I think we should go back, Jiro... —Rayjou stammered, visibly scared.
Jiro, staying focused, felt a vibration in his chest. His amulet glowed again.
—Wait, that glowed!? —Rayjou asked, surprised.
—It's close... —Jiro said softly.
Without further ado, Jiro started running. Rayjou followed, albeit nervously.
—Wait for me, Jirooo!
They both tripped over a protruding root and rolled downhill... into a deep crater.
At the bottom, in the shadows, a faint red light guided them.
—Where are we...? —Rayjou asked.
—I don't know... but let's investigate —Jiro replied with determination.
They advanced in silence. The light led them to a cave, and at its end... a glowing fissure, a Shinketsu. Beyond it, a crimson spear, beautiful, covered in runes, was embedded in the ground.
—That spear... —Jiro whispered.
—So cool! Let's check it out! —Rayjou said excitedly.
But then, a shadow emerged from the Shinketsu. A black hand appeared, followed by a masked figure. The being floated gracefully, cloaked in darkness, with a talisman on its face.
Jiro quickly covered Rayjou's mouth. They hid behind a rock as the masked figure began to speak... to someone who wasn't there.
—Yes, my lord. I have finally arrived in this world... —the entity said.
—Who the hell is that...? —Rayjou whispered.
—I don't know, but... it seems he's communicating with someone else... —Jiro replied.
The masked figure continued:
—We have been stealing energies from this world for eons. Only three years remain before it fragments eternally... Nothing will remain but dust...
Jiro tensed.
—Three years...? —he thought.
—Now I just need to feed this Shinketsu until it evolves into a Daiketsu... It will take three days...
Rayjou unintentionally let out a gasp of astonishment. The echo resounded. The masked figure paused.
—One moment, my lord. I believe I'm not alone...
He floated toward their hiding spot. Desperate, Jiro imitated a meow:
—Meow... meow...
The entity stopped and murmured:
—Just a filthy cat...
He resumed speaking to his invisible master:
—Now I take my leave, my lord... if anything else occurs, I will inform you.
The spirit turned toward the spear.
—Your bearer gave us much trouble... how fortunate we eliminated him. Now... I will take you to my lord...
Jiro sighed in relief.
—He didn't realize we were here...
But suddenly... the entity slowly turned its head, and with a cold, murderous voice said:
—On the other hand... you two eavesdroppers behind that rock...
His eyes glowed with a dark intensity, and a malevolent force filled the air.
—Come out now... or I'll make you come out myself.