The city never slept, it only changed colors.
By night it burned neon; by morning it drowned in smog and sun-bleached steel.
Riku walked through the crowd with his hood up, earbuds in, the faint pulse of bass keeping time with the ghost rhythm in his chest. Every step made the mark on his arm thrum, like a second heartbeat that wouldn't shut up.
> You're restless, Lira murmured in his mind, voice half a sigh, half a smile.
You won, yet you pace like a caged beast.
"Because I can feel it," he muttered. "Something's coming."
> Fate usually does, once you punch it in the face.
He almost laughed, then stopped at the alley mouth leading to the old metro court. A single envelope lay on the cracked cement—black seal, gold emblem of twin wings encircling a basketball. He crouched and picked it up. The paper hummed faintly with spirit energy.
> So they found you, Lira whispered. The Spirit Academy.
He tore it open.
—Riku Vane,
By decree of the Soul League Council, you are invited to enroll at the Spirit Academy, Division Neo-Tokyo. Attendance mandatory within seventy-two hours.
Failure to appear will result in spirit containment.
Riku smirked. "Guess that means I got drafted."
> Drafted or cornered—it depends on how you play it.
The street around him shimmered briefly; holo-ads shifted to the Academy's emblem. Everyone saw it. Passersby slowed, whispering.
"Spirit Academy picked up a street player?"
"After what he did to the Bureau team? Of course they did."
"Still, a phantom spirit? That's suicide."
Riku ignored them and walked on, every whisper feeding the fire in his chest.
Three hours later, a transport drone dropped him at the Academy gates—a floating island of glass courts and skybridges hovering above the city. Hundreds of students trained on glowing platforms, their spirits darting like comets beside them. Every bounce echoed with divine resonance.
Riku's sneakers hit the polished court, and the world tilted for a second. Power thickened the air like humidity before a storm.
> So this is where mortals learn to dance with gods, Lira murmured.
A voice cut through the hum.
"Hey! You the new street ghost?"
He turned. A girl with fire-colored hair spun a ball on her fingertip, sparks flickering around her wrist. Her uniform jacket hung open, a smirk carved across her face.
"Name's Kaori Blaze," she said. "Captain of Team Inferno. I watched your match. Nice trick with the phantom dribble."
"Thanks," Riku said. "You recruiting or trash-talking?"
"Both." She grinned wider. "We've got tryouts in ten minutes. Winner gets the last starter slot for the Divine League qualifiers."
"And if I win?"
"You get the slot." Her eyes flared amber. "And you play under me."
Riku chuckled. "I don't play under anyone."
Kaori's grin turned sharp. "Then prove it."
The court lights dimmed as sensors registered combat intent. Spectators gathered fast—students, teachers, even drones. Someone whispered, "He's the Phantom Dribbler."
Lira materialized behind him, violet mist curling like ribbons. Kaori's spirit erupted in flame—a winged archer of living fire.
> Spirit of Play: Ignis Seraph.
The heat warped the air.
"First to three points," Kaori said. "No timeouts."
Riku nodded. "Let's burn."
The ball materialized between them, pulsing gold. Kaori moved first—lightning-fast, dribble sparking with flame. Her crossover left scorch marks on the floor, each pivot timed like a heartbeat.
> She's strong, Lira said. Elemental resonance, ninety percent synchronization.
"Then let's test her defense."
Riku slipped into motion. His shadow peeled off the floor, forming his phantom double. Every dribble echoed twice—the rhythm of body and soul intertwining. The crowd gasped as he split paths, real and ghost weaving together.
Kaori fired a fireball-shot straight through his phantom. It burst harmlessly, the real Riku already behind her.
"One–nil," he said, dropping the ball through the hoop.
Kaori's eyes flared. "Cute."
She snapped her fingers, and the court ignited. Rings of fire spiraled upward; the arena became a burning cage. Her spirit loomed behind her, drawing a bow of flame.
"Spirit Resonance: Blaze Drive!"
The shot came like a meteor. Riku ducked, barely avoiding the explosion. The ground melted where he'd been standing. Heat singed his hoodie.
> We can't out-power her, Lira warned. But fire needs oxygen. Shadows don't.
Riku grinned. "Then let's smother her."
He dribbled low; his phantom expanded, spreading across the floor like ink. The light dimmed, the fire faltered. Kaori blinked—her vision flickered between two realities.
"Where—"
He appeared above her, twisting mid-air.
"Phantom Layup."
The ball phased through her guard, passed the hoop, and reappeared with a sonic crack. Two–nil.
The crowd roared. Teachers whispered data into tablets.
Kaori exhaled slowly. Her spirit's wings flared brighter. "Okay, street ghost… now I'm serious."
She vanished. Only fire remained.
Riku spun, senses screaming. A flash of light—then pain—she was behind him, scoring in a single motion.
> Speed-burn dash, Lira noted. She's faster than before.
"Two–one," Kaori said, breath steady. "Last point wins."
Riku rolled his shoulders. "Then let's make it fun."
The air thickened. Lira's aura wrapped around him, fusing halfway—his veins glowing violet.
> Careful, she warned. Too much and you burn out.
"Then I'll burn beautifully."
He vanished. The ball moved before the sound of the dribble reached the ear. Kaori reacted—barely—blocking with a wall of flame.
Riku's phantom split into three copies, each real for a heartbeat. The audience couldn't follow.
"Left!" someone shouted.
Kaori turned left. Wrong one.
Riku rose behind her, wind and shadow swirling.
He dunked.
The hoop shattered in blue fire; energy burst outward, extinguishing Kaori's flames. The shockwave threw both of them back.
Silence. Then the scoreboard lit: 3–1.
The crowd erupted.
Riku lay on the court, chest heaving. Lira hovered above him, expression unreadable.
Kaori sat up, staring at the hole in the floor. Then she laughed—bright and fierce. "Okay, Phantom. You're in."
Riku blinked. "That was the tryout?"
She nodded. "Congratulations, rookie. You're now the Spirit Academy's most wanted freshman."
The announcer drone's voice boomed overhead.
New player registered: Riku Vane, Class S Spirit Bond. Assigned to Team Inferno.
Students whispered. "Class S?" "That's impossible."
Kaori offered a hand. He took it. Her grip was hot, alive.
"Try not to burn the school down," she said.
"No promises," he replied.
As they walked off the court, Lira's voice slipped into his thoughts, softer this time.
> She's interesting. Fire suits your darkness.
"Don't start," he muttered.
> Oh, I will. Rivalry tastes delicious.
He hid a smile. Maybe, just maybe, returning to this world wouldn't be hell after all.
High above, on the Academy's observation deck, a woman with silver hair and golden eyes watched the footage replay on her tablet. The Celestial Referee, Nyra, tapped the screen once.
"The Phantom Queen's bond has stabilized," she murmured. "And the boy keeps winning. How long before he learns what he really awakened?"
Lightning flashed behind her, illuminating a faint smile. "Let the game begin."
To be continued...