Tokyo never truly sleeps.
But that night, something made it hold its breath.
Behind Shibuya Station, deep in an alley choked with smoke, neon haze, and forgotten trash, Ren Kurokami lay dying. His blood, dark and thick, ran like ink into the cracks of the concrete. His vision blurred, lips parted to breathe—but the air burned like acid.
A creature loomed over him.
Not human. Never was.
The demon was a mass of writhing shadows and bone, its mouth shaped like a broken grin, its voice like claws on iron.
"You should've run, little ape."
Ren stared back, unmoving. Not in defiance. Not in fear.
Just… watching.
The creature, a Shiniguma, paused. "No screams? No begging?" It clicked its head to the side. "Most humans do. You don't even flinch."
Ren's mouth cracked open. "You're… ugly."
That was the last thing he expected to say. Blood dribbled out with the words.
The Shiniguma's smile widened. "Delightful. Let's carve that spirit out of your spine."
It lunged.
And at that precise moment—time shattered.
[SYSTEM INITIALIZING…]
[Ashen Protocol: Awakening Detected]
[User: Ren Kurokami]
[Status: Terminal]
[Override: Soul-Bond Active]
[Ashen Veil Engaging…]
A white-hot flame ignited inside Ren's chest, racing through his broken ribs, shredded muscles, and bruised brain. A screen no one else could see flickered before his eyes, written in glowing runes.
And something deep inside him—the thing that never screamed—smiled.
The world snapped back.
The Shiniguma's claw came down—
—but Ren was gone.
He reappeared behind it in a flicker of ash and air.
"…What?" the demon hissed.
Ren stood tall, blood still dripping from his chin, his left eye glowing like a dying sun.
"You talked too much."
With zero hesitation, he launched forward. His hand blazed with pale-white fire, shaped not by magic—but by wrath.
He plunged it into the demon's chest.
The creature shrieked as cracks spiderwebbed through its body, glowing with blinding light.
"Ashen Flame," Ren said. "Burn."
The demon exploded, its body turned to dust, howling even as it vanished.
Silence followed.
Ren stood there a moment, breathing. He was shaking. Not from fear—but from knowing he'd won.
Then the pain returned, and he passed out.
Kyoto – Ashen Order Citadel
Deep beneath the ancient city, behind barriers of enchanted steel and sealed blood, a circle of robed figures watched the magical screen flicker.
"A Shiniguma… erased. By a child."
"And not just erased," another said, voice tight. "Obliterated."
"Did he speak the words?"
One of them nodded.
"Ashen Flame. Burn."
The chamber fell silent.
"The Warden has returned."
Ren's Hospital Room – 2 Days Later
Sterile light. Clean sheets. Electrodes on his chest. It felt too peaceful to be real.
Ren opened his eyes and saw her.
Short white hair, long coat, gloves over battle-scarred hands. Her eyes were the cold blue of a katana's edge.
"You're awake," she said.
He blinked.
"Name's Agent Rika Asano," she said. "Bureau of Paranormal Defense. I'm the one who scraped your half-dead body off the street."
She tossed a tablet onto the bed. It glowed with security footage.
Ren watched himself blow a demon apart with a burning hand.
"…So I wasn't dreaming."
"Nope," she said. "You died. Then you came back. Then you murdered something most trained Wardens can't even scratch. So yeah, we're very interested in you."
He looked at her with those sharp black eyes.
"What am I?"
Her expression darkened. "You're something that shouldn't exist anymore."
Izanami Academy – The Training Grounds
Ren stared up at the academy wall.
From the outside, Izanami looked like a fancy private school. Uniforms, courtyards, manicured gardens. But inside?
It was a war machine.
Weapons forged from demon bone. Trainers who used to fight gods. Students who had killed at sixteen.
Ren walked through the main courtyard. Eyes followed him. Whispers crept behind his back.
"That's him…"
"The one who killed a Shiniguma."
"He doesn't even have a Pact Beast…"
"They said he died. And came back stronger."
At the far end of the yard, a tall figure stepped forward.
Akira Jōzan. Top-ranked. Rich bloodline. White uniform. Cold eyes.
"You're the street rat with the Ashen mark," Akira said, lips curled. "This school isn't for monsters."
Ren met his gaze, bored. "Then why are you still here?"
Someone choked on laughter.
Akira's eyes flared red. A whip of flame snapped out from his hand—
—but Ren had already caught it. Two fingers. No strain.
"You're slow," Ren said quietly, his voice flat.
Midnight – The Weapon Forge
Ren stood before the Wall of Arms. Spirit-bound swords. Bone-forged axes. Enchanted bows. None of them spoke to him.
Then he felt it.
A low hum behind the forge. A sword, forgotten, half-buried in ash.
He pulled it free. It was cracked, scorched, ancient.
The air trembled.
[Soul Recognition Confirmed]
[Ashblade: Bound to Ren Kurokami]
As his hand closed around it, a flood of memories surged—blood-soaked battlefields, a king in black flame, demons screaming in another tongue, and a boy's face in the mirror.
His face.
He fell to his knees, choking on smoke and flame.
"You're not a student," Agent Rika whispered, watching from the shadows. "You're a relic."
Lore Dump – The Ashen Veil
That night, in a cold archive, Ren learned the truth:
"Long ago, before exorcists or curses or swordsmen, there were the Ashen Wardens," Rika explained. "Soldiers of flame forged to fight the oldest demons. They burned so brightly, they scorched the Veil itself—the barrier between worlds."
"But they died out?"
"They were betrayed. By the people they protected. The Ashen Veil was sealed. The flame went dark."
Ren's eyes were unreadable. "But it's back now."
Rika nodded slowly. "And it's inside you."
Tokyo Tower – The First True Test
Three days later, the sky cracked open.
A rift—like torn paper—ripped above Tokyo Tower. From it came a thing of nightmares.
Chains wrapped around burning bone. Wings of jagged glass. A face like a frozen scream.
The Fifth Hollow.
"It's not hunting," Rika muttered, watching the news. "It's declaring war."
"We need to send a squad."
"No," she said. "We send him."
The Fight
Wind howled. Sirens echoed below. Ren stood atop Tokyo Tower, sword slung over his back, eyes calm.
The Fifth Hollow screeched. Its voice shattered glass in every direction.
"You carry his scent," it growled. "The Ashen King."
"I'm not him," Ren said. "But I carry his fire."
And then the battle began.
The demon dove—wings like blades. Ren ducked low, sliding across the steel, sword out in a flash. Sparks flew as they clashed mid-air, flames vs frost, ash vs rot.
He's too fast, the Hollow thought. That body—
No. It's not possible—
Ren leapt, flipped, spun. Blood flew. Chains lashed. A shard of bone pierced his shoulder—he ripped it out and used it as a dagger.
Then the Ashen Veil unlocked again.
[Phase Two: Soul Armor Manifested]
Ash spiraled around him. His jacket burned away, replaced by black flame-etched armor. Wings of smoke burst from his back.
He raised his blade and whispered,
"Ashen Flame. Consume."
The Hollow tried to retreat—but Ren cut through the sky itself.
One final slash. One final roar.
And silence.
Ren stood alone.
Sword planted in the rooftop. Body bloodied. Eyes glowing like coals.
The strongest.