The wind blew through broken boards. The creature with the red collar, massive and misshapen, advanced slowly toward Kouki, its clawed paws scraping the floor. Its breath was rough, wheezing. Dark vapor hissed from its back.
Kouki, for his part, was barely breathing. He stood only by instinct. Blood trickled down his forehead, his split lip trembled. He clenched his fists, body bent in pain.
The Zohōn growled. Then charged.
Kouki leapt to the side—but too late. The beast's paw slammed him mid-air. He crashed against a concrete pillar. The structure shook from the impact.
— Gaaah—!
He rolled on the ground, gasping. Tried to get up. Fell to his knees.
Damn it… I'm dead if I stay here.
He looked up.
The creature circled him. Like a predator savoring the moment.
Kouki gritted his teeth.
I won't… die here.
But he knew. He had no technique. No weapon. No ritual. Just… his fists. And a single roller still attached.
An energy blast hissed.
Kouki threw himself to the ground. The blast exploded behind him, shredding a metal beam. The flash lit up the room.
And then, a memory struck. Clearer than ever.
A dog. Small. White. Pointy ears. A ball in its mouth.
— Go on, Snow! Get it!
Kouki, eight years old, ran barefoot through the garden. He laughed. The dog bounced around him, tireless. They were one and the same. The blue rope toy spun through the air like a frisbee. Snow caught it every time.
There was always that victory cry:
— BAAANG! Headshot, ninja dog!
Simple memories. Laughter. Rainy days under a blanket. Nights at the window, watching the stars.
And then that day.
The empty bowl.
Snow never came back.
Posters. Hours spent walking the streets. His mom crying. Him, waiting on the curb, blue toy in hand.
I lost you…
His gaze returned to the present. To the collar. Red. Worn. With a name half faded.
The monster charged again. Kouki dodged to the side, but a claw slashed across his side. He screamed, writhed. Fell on his back.
And this time… he didn't move.
The creature crept forward slowly.
He had nothing left.
Nothing except…
A light.
A humming in his chest.
His eyes lit up. The air vibrated. Dust lifted. And suddenly—
An elephant.
Colossal. Spectral. Made of pure cyan. It burst from his chest with a rumbling roar. Its trunk slammed into the ground. Two tusks of light sliced through the air. It charged.
The Zohōn was hit full force. Crushed. Thrown like a ragdoll. An entire section of wall collapsed.
Kouki, still on the ground, looked at his hands. Cyan energy pulsed around him. Silent. Protective.
And then…
He saw.
Through the wave. Like an echo.
Memories.
The Zohōn was Snow.
He saw him captured. Thrown into a cage. A basement. Metal floor. Screams from other animals. Then pain. Fear. Beatings. The smell of blood. The cold. Chains. Loneliness.
— No…
Kouki trembled. Tears streamed down.
Snow… he had suffered. For days. Weeks. And no one came.
— I'm sorry… Snow.
The creature came back. It was nothing but instinct and rage now. It leapt.
Kouki didn't move.
He opened his arms. And hugged the beast tight.
— It's me. It's me, Snow. I'm here.
The monster growled. Struggled. Then… stilled.
— I'm sorry, bro… I couldn't save you. I swore I'd always be there… but I was just a kid. I was powerless.
He cried. Loudly.
— I never stopped thinking about you. I never forgot you. Even today, I couldn't get another dog. Because it was you. You were one of a kind, dammit!
The creature trembled. Then… began to dissolve.
And slowly… transformed.
A white, translucent spirit formed in his arms.
It was him.
Snow.
He barked softly, tongue hanging out. Then jumped on him, tail wagging, ears folded back. He licked him with all his strength.
— Snow… damn…
Kouki laughed and cried at the same time. He hugged him tight. Very tight.
Then Snow calmed down. Sat. Looked at him one last time.
And vanished. Into glowing dust.
A gentle breeze swept through the room.
And everything went quiet.
Kouki remained there. Silent. Trembling.
Then he closed his eyes.
— You're free now, brother.
He took a deep breath.
Then lifted his head.
— Kiko…
And he started running, limping, toward her.
Inside, Kiko was awake. Leaning against a wall. She was crushing a green paste over a wound, her hands still trembling.
— You're awake! Kouki exclaimed.
— Of course I'm awake. I didn't plan on dying today.
— What's that stuff you're smearing?
— Yomogi. Japanese mugwort. Freshly crushed, applied on an open wound, it limits infection and reactivates spiritual channels. I had already reinforced my skin this morning with a shinpaku infusion. Without that… I'd be dead.
— Uh… yeah. Alright.
He sat across from her, still bleeding.
— And you? How'd you survive? You were getting ripped apart like two minutes ago.
Kouki scratched the back of his head.
— I dunno… I was totally done for, really. Then bam, this blue light exploded out of me. Like, a giant elephant came out of my chest. It charged the creature like a damn tank. Then I saw its memories, I recognized my dog, Snow… and I got to talk to him.
Kiko looked at him like he'd just said he pissed stardust.
— An… elephant?!
She froze.
— You… You're part of… the Kane bloodline?
He nodded.
— We didn't introduce ourselves properly, true. I'm Kouki Kane. Nice to meet you!
She stepped back slightly, eyes wide.
— The Kane clan… They're not supposed to have left Africa. What are you doing here?!
— Well I live here. I was born over there but I grew up here. My dad married a Japanese woman.
She stood up, barely.
— You're kidding me?! You didn't tell me who you were, you didn't explain anything, and you showed up at the last second like some damn shōnen cliché!
— HEY! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!
— YOU HID YOUR IDENTITY!
— I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU DAMMIT! WHO ARE YOU TO YELL AT ME LIKE THAT?!
— I'M KI—
A voice echoed behind them.
— Kiko-sama. You're being too loud.
A woman had just entered the room.
Tall silhouette. Modern short kimono. Talismans floating around her waist. A piercing gaze, black as ink.
Kiko stepped back.
— Hikari-sama…
She bowed deeply.
— Please forgive my outburst.
Kouki straightened up, limping.
— Who the hell is this lady now? A ninja? A cosplayer?
Hikari stared at him. Cold.
— So you're Kouki Kane. I had my doubts, but I saw your shamanic manifestation. The cyan, the form… No doubt about it.
She pulled out a small communication device. Spoke without emotion.
— This is the Observation Unit. Quick update: subject Kiko Karasuma alive, level 2 Zohōns neutralized. Peripheral damage minimal.
Pause.
— And… unexpected manifestation of a Kane clan heir. Emotional bond confirmed with Zohōn entity. Spontaneous control. No talisman, no prior pact. I believe he's unaware of his true nature.
A voice screamed on the other end of the device. Loud. Shrill. Perfect Japanese, but with a deep, heavy accent.
— THE KANE CLAN?! ON OUR TERRITORY?! THIS MATRIARCH THINKS SHE CAN DO WHATEVER SHE WANTS! THEY THINK THEY CAN MAKE THE RULES HERE WITHOUT EVEN TELLING ME?!
Kiko turned pale. She recognized her father's voice.
Hikari didn't flinch.
— Your orders?
A pause. Then the answer came, cold:
— Bring him in.
Hikari hung up.
She turned her eyes toward Kouki.
— You're coming with us.
— Huh? Coming where? What kind of bullshit is this? I just fought to the death, I didn't sign up for some freakin' shaman reality show.
— You don't have a choice.
— Wait, wait… Kiko? Koko? Kaka? What did you say your name was again?
— KI-KO!
— Oh right. That's cool. You know your name is kinda the reverse of mine? Like I'm Kouki, you're Kiko… that's weirdly cute.
— YOU'RE NOT CUTE! YOU'RE DANGEROUS! IRRESPONSIBLE! YOU'RE A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE!!!
— OKAY BUT AT LEAST I'M HANDSOME—
SMACK
Hikari knocked him out cold with a swift hit to the back of the neck.
Kouki dropped like a rock, groaning halfway down.
Kiko blinked.
— Were you allowed to do that…?
— I just gave myself permission.
She sighed, looking at the sky.
Then looked down at the unconscious boy on the floor.
— If the Kane clan really is in Japan… then this is going to end in war.