August 19, 2023 | 4:45 PM
Shinjuku, Tokyo
The streets were alive with neon lights, the hum of traffic, and the distant chatter of pedestrians. But Raito Kurogane wasn't paying attention to any of it.
His mind was elsewhere—locked onto the mysterious message he had received. "You are not God."
And now, something even more disturbing had happened.
At exactly 12:15 PM, Takahiro Fushida had died—just as Raito had written. That confirmed one thing: his Pen still worked.
But another event made his blood run cold.
Not long after Fushida's death, Raito had felt something strange—an urge. A persistent thought whispering at the back of his mind.
Go to Shinjuku. There's something there you need to see.
It wasn't his usual logical deduction. It wasn't a carefully calculated plan.
It felt… planted.
As if someone had written it.
That meant one thing—another Pen existed. And its power was different from his.
He glanced at his watch. 4:50 PM.
He was close now. The abandoned parking garage loomed ahead, its dimly lit entrance gaping like a mouth ready to swallow him whole.
Raito adjusted his glasses, his mind racing. This could be a trap. But if someone else had a Pen, he needed to see it for himself.
Taking a breath, he stepped inside.
---
August 19, 2023 | 4:55 PM
Inside the Abandoned Parking Garage
The air was stale, filled with the scent of dust and rusting metal. Flickering fluorescent lights cast eerie shadows on the concrete walls.
Raito walked cautiously, each step echoing.
He scanned his surroundings. No cameras. No visible threats.
Then—a voice.
"You came, Kurogane."
Raito's eyes sharpened. The voice was deep, smooth, and calm. It belonged to someone confident—someone who knew they had the upper hand.
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward.
A man in a black coat, his long dark hair falling just past his shoulders. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes—sharp and intelligent—studied Raito with an unsettling intensity.
Raito didn't react, but inside, his mind was already working. Who is he? How does he know my name? And more importantly… what does he want?
The man smirked slightly, as if reading his thoughts.
"I suppose introductions are in order," he said. "My name is Kiyoshi Arata. And like you, I have a Pen."
Raito's heart didn't skip a beat, but his grip on his pen tightened. Confirmation. Another Pen. exists.
But he remained composed. "Is that so?"
Kiyoshi tilted his head. "Tell me, Kurogane… have you ever considered the possibility that your Pen isn't the only one?"
Raito gave a small, calculated smile. "That was obvious from the moment I received a challenge. What I want to know is—what does yours do?"
Kiyoshi's smirk widened. "Why don't you see for yourself?"
He pulled something from his coat pocket. A Pen—deep red, its cover smooth and untouched by time.
And then, with deliberate precision, he opened it… and began to write.
---
August 19, 2023 | 5:00 PM
Suddenly, Raito's body froze.
His breath hitched. His muscles locked in place. His heart pounded, but he couldn't move.
What… is this?!
Kiyoshi shut the notebook with a soft snap. "Ah. Looks like it works."
He stepped closer, watching Raito's reaction.
"You see, Kurogane, my Pen doesn't kill. It controls."
Raito's eyes widened slightly. Mind control?
Kiyoshi chuckled. "Well, not exactly. I can't make you do something against your deepest nature. But… I can nudge your decisions. I can lead you to places. Make you hesitate at the wrong moment. Force you to question what's real and what's not."
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"In other words… I'm inside your head now."
Raito's fists clenched.
Kiyoshi stepped back, slipping the Red Pen into his coat. "I just wanted you to know, Kurogane—you're not the only one writing fate. You're not the only player in this game."
Then, with a smirk, he turned and walked toward the exit.
The moment Kiyoshi disappeared into the shadows, Raito's body unlocked.
He staggered slightly, catching himself against the wall. His breath came in sharp, controlled bursts.
Kiyoshi Arata.
The man who could manipulate minds.
The game had just changed.
And Raito Kurogane never played a game he couldn't win.