In a narrow alley of Thunder Village, where the night hides between walls of old brick, a gentle breeze drifted, carrying the scent of earth and dew. The place was wrapped in a tense silence, cloaked in shadows that swayed lightly with every passing gust.
A shadowy figure emerged, draped in a heavy cloak that covered his entire body, the hood drawn tight over his head, leaving only part of his face veiled in darkness—as if the night itself was hiding within him. His steps were quiet and deliberate, weighing each movement as though walking the edge of danger and secrecy at the same time.
Opposite him, Kazuma and Rin walked side by side, their strides even, their eyes tirelessly scanning, leaping from shadow to shadow. They spoke in low voices filled with caution and anticipation, the atmosphere shrouding them in a hidden tension.
Suddenly, Kazuma darted sharply to the left, his eyes piercing the darkness, sensing something unseen. In a startling moment, he collided with a solid figure without warning. He staggered backward and fell to the ground, lifting a small cloud of dust that carried the smell of damp earth.
He raised his right hand to the back of his head, pain flashing across his features, and barked in a sharp, irritated tone:
"Can't you watch where you're going? Be more careful!"
Rin quickly stepped forward, bending down with concern, her eyes searching his face for signs of pain.
The mysterious man approached slowly and pushed his hood back. His face was revealed—strikingly handsome, with a strange beauty uncommon in this dark alley.
His hazel eyes radiated warmth in the chill of night, and his blue hair stood like a crown defying the sky.
He bent forward politely, extending his left hand toward Kazuma in silent apology. His voice was soft, tinged with a faint note of regret:
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
Kazuma calmly took his hand, returning the courtesy.
"It's fine, and I'm sorry I yelled at you."
The stranger smiled quietly, raised the index finger of his right hand in a gesture of both caution and friendliness, then pressed his teeth together slightly in restrained tension.
He spoke in a low voice, carrying both youthful innocence and the weight of responsibility:
"My name is Hiden. I'm fifteen years old."
Kazuma smiled warmly.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kazuma."
Rin smiled gently, placing her right hand over her chest.
"And I'm Rin. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Hiden bowed his head humbly.
"The pleasure is mine… truly."
---
Scene in the Garden
The camera moved slowly, slipping between the colors of scattered flowers adorning the garden with their charm. The gray stone paths bore the elegance of age, sunlight breaking gently across them, as if whispering secrets from a forgotten time. The place pulsed with quiet life—people moved softly along the paths, their laughter subdued, their voices like warm breezes drifting through the air. On the left of the scene, chairs lined the walkway like silent sentinels guarding the harmony of nature.
In the heart of the garden, they sat together—Kazuma in the middle, Rin beside him, and Hiden next to them. Behind them, tree branches intertwined, whispering along with the melodies of birdsong, as though playing the symphony of life itself. Kazuma sat firmly, his short legs not touching the ground, palms resting on either side of the bench, his features a mix of patience and expectation. To his left, Hiden sat with dignity, legs crossed, hands resting on his thighs, eyes fixed ahead with calm intensity.
In a low, clear voice, Hiden began:
"I come from a province called Kimura… a province united like one clan, strong and unyielding."
A short silence fell. Kazuma turned to him with a steady gaze.
"And what do they want from you?"
Hiden's reply was sharp, his tone unflinching:
"There's someone in my family named Aiden—my older brother by four years. He's been tasked with leading the clan after my father stepped down."
He looked at Kazuma and Rin, his words planting seeds of tension in the air.
"But the real problem isn't that… they want to execute me."
Kazuma and Rin's eyes widened in shock, the silence tinged with disbelief.
Hiden continued, his voice steady, mixing bitterness with strength:
"Yes, you heard me right. My family is nothing but a group of drug dealers and dangerous criminals—with Aiden at the top."
Kazuma let out a cold laugh, laced with a trace of mockery:
"How nice… your brother must be strong, especially if he's a criminal."
But then his expression shifted, a deep philosophical look crossing his face:
"But when you think about it… killing people without reason is a terrible injustice that can't be justified."
Rin looked at him with curiosity.
"You like that way of thinking?"
Kazuma gave a faint, mysterious smile, his hand trembling slightly over the bench's armrest, as though pondering the contradictions of life—strength and mercy, darkness and light.
With narrowed eyes and a confident look, Kazuma spoke quietly, but with deep weight:
"Maybe Aiden has killed people… but sometimes, people deserve it. Sometimes life demands that kind of justice."
Hiden sat still, pressing his palms hard into his thighs, his heavy cloak shifting smoothly. He gave a tense smile and closed his eyes for a moment before replying in a calm, reflective tone:
"My brother Aiden doesn't kill for the sake of killing. He's searching for something deeper… he wants to understand why we exist, the meaning behind this life we live."
The screen slowly faded to black. Words began to appear in glowing letters:
We now move to the Kimura Clan.
---
Kimura Clan Hall
The blackness lifted to reveal a grand hall, its floor covered in endless crimson carpet gleaming under warm sunlight streaming through a massive north-facing window. On the right stood an elegant emerald-green sofa, mirrored by another on the left, both in harmony with the decor.
On the western side stood Aiden, Hiden's brother, radiating quiet authority. His sleek black hair was combed neatly back, his coal-black eyes sharp and unwavering. A knife tattoo marked his left cheek—a scar etched into memory. His skin was pale as mountain snow, reflecting daylight with clarity.
He wore a bright red open jacket matching his trousers, both shimmering like woven silk. Beneath it, a black shirt concealed the heat of his seething spirit. Around his neck hung a heavy chain bearing a demon skull—a symbol of dark realms and deep secrets.
Despite the weight of his attire, his stance was unbreakable. His breathing was like the pulse of an oncoming war, the air around him charged with tension. Every movement in his muscles suggested the inevitability of something about to erupt.
In a dim, dust-scented room, Aiden sat leaning back, one leg crossed over the other, as though time had stopped. His piercing eyes shifted slowly to the left, searching for something absent—or perhaps for a thought that shook his soul.
The creak of a door broke the heavy silence. A massive man entered, his belly protruding as if burdened with the years themselves, wearing a shiny blue robe that caught the dim light. This was Karo, father of Aiden and Hiden, carrying the weight of anger and confusion in each heavy step that made the floor groan.
He stood before Aiden, his face tight with suppressed rage. Aiden spoke in a low, calm voice, as if discussing a distant idea—but his words were laced with cold threat:
"If you've come here, Father…"
Karo's reply cut sharp as a drawn blade:
"Have you found your brother?"
Aiden sighed softly, his calm unbroken.
"I haven't. He knows how to run… but he's never truly beyond my reach. I know where he is."
Karo's voice boiled, the sound of accusation hot in the air:
"And while you know where he is, you're sitting here drinking?"
Aiden's lips curled in a mocking smile.
"And what else should I do… but wait?"
Karo stepped closer, anger rising.
"Are you mocking me, Aiden?"
Aiden swallowed his own anger, returning to his chilling calm.
"Wait, Father… what's the rush?"
---
The Arrival of Ai and Takiura
The room, steeped in dust and heavy silence, shifted as Ai entered with tense steps. Her skin was dusk-dark, her long golden hair flowing like a stream of shimmering light, her eyes black as a starless night. Anger radiated from her, as though her chest held burning coals.
She approached quickly, her brow furrowed. Her voice trembled with contained fury:
"Why did you come?"
Aiden replied with bitter malice, his words bleeding from an old wound:
"Why did you come?"
Ai clenched her fists, trying to hold back her storm:
"You don't love me, so why even speak to me?"
Then, her gaze like a drawn sword, she said:
"You really are a monster in human skin…"
She paused for a moment, as if her words had drained some of her strength, then whispered with bitterness:
"Do you truly want to kill my brother?"
At that moment, another girl entered. Her warm brown skin glowed faintly, her braided hair tied neatly against her neck. Her bright blue eyes shone like a clear sea under the moonlight. She wore a black formal suit with a white tie, giving her an air of seriousness and mystery.
Ai looked at her in surprise.
"And who are you?"
The girl bowed slightly, her voice calm and modest, as though carrying the weight of a hidden truth:
"I am the new maid. My name is Takiura."
Aiden smirked bitterly, as if her presence was just another nuisance.
"Just what I needed… another fool."
Takiura's voice remained quiet but strong, her tone bearing the scars of the past:
"I'm from the City of Destruction, which was completely wiped out three years ago."
Aiden's expression shifted slightly, a faint glimmer of interest in his eyes.
"So you're a survivor."
"I wandered the world searching for my brother and sister," she said, trying to scatter what little hope remained in the ashes.
Aiden's bitter laugh rang out.
"And who is this brother? Do I know him?"
"I don't know where he is," Takiura said, sadness deepening her features. "But I heard he belongs to the Scorpion Gang."
"I've never heard of them," Aiden replied, his eyes darkening as if summoning old shadows.
"And I'm also searching for my sister. She went missing before the disaster," Takiura added, her voice heavy with grief.
The air thickened—every word cut a new wound in the hearts present, turning the place into a stage for a drama full of mystery, pain, and shattered hopes.
Ai:
"And who destroyed your village?"
Takiura's voice was calm but heavy, her eyes echoing a wound that would never heal.
"My city… was nothing more than a pitiful canvas, erased into ash by war, when I was no older than ten. The reason? One man only. His name… was 'Jinny.'"
She paused, her eyes blazing with anger and painful memory.
Ai (in shock):
"Jinny?!"
The name seemed to scatter her thoughts.
Takiura:
"Yes… Jinny. That ruthless man—the strongest 'Shin' user in the entire world."
Her voice dropped to a cold whisper:
"I never knew why he destroyed our city… but if I had the chance, I would kill him myself."
Aiden listened, eyes glinting with challenge and mockery, then burst into loud laughter that cut through the silence.
Aiden:
"And what are you doing here then? What brought you?"
Takiura replied with unshakable confidence, her smile steady as the mountains:
"Mr. Karo brought me… to be Ai's mentor and trainer."
Aiden exchanged a mocking glance, then laughed.
"No matter how much you train her, she'll always be as weak as her teacher."
But Takiura did not flinch. She lifted her head, closing her eyes with unshakable confidence.
Suddenly, a violet aura burst from her body, coiling around her head and streaming down to her ankles, like a living artery of power.
The air tightened around her, and even the stars above seemed to dim in its light.
Under the
faint moonlight, the colors of the aura danced over her right hand, surging like an untamed sea.
She opened her glowing eyes, staring at Aiden, her voice as firm as stone:
"I will be your trainer, Ai."
---