Aya Gojo was walking home through the narrow streets of Shinjuku, her school bag bouncing lightly against her shoulder, when she felt a flicker in the air that made her pause. The city hummed around her—streetlights flickering on one by one, the distant roar of cars mingling with the chatter of passersby—but something unnatural lingered, brushing the edges of her awareness. She slowed, head tilting, eyes narrowing as if she could see something invisible crawling between the neon-lit alleys.
It had been happening more frequently lately. Shadows that seemed to move independently, faint whispers that brushed the edge of her hearing, and a cold prickling sensation down her spine every time she passed a quiet street corner. Aya had told herself it was just her imagination, a side effect of stress from schoolwork or perhaps overthinking her exams. Yet tonight, the feeling was stronger, undeniable, vibrating through her fingertips as she unconsciously flexed them, gripping her bag strap tighter.
As she turned the corner toward her apartment building, a sudden screech cut through the night—a sound that could not have belonged to a car or a stray animal. Aya froze mid-step. A thin wisp of darkness slithered across the pavement ahead, moving unnaturally, almost like a living shadow. Her heart beat faster, but her legs didn't move. Her body seemed to act before her mind caught up.
The figure lunged.
Aya reacted instinctively, thrusting her palm forward. The air seemed to compress around her hand, a force invisible yet palpable, pushing back the shadow before it could reach her. The creature recoiled, hissing in a sound that clawed at the edges of sanity, its form flickering like smoke in the neon light.
"What… what just happened?" she whispered, voice trembling. Her mind spun, trying to rationalize. No, it wasn't possible. I didn't… I didn't do that, did I?
The shadow hissed again and lunged a second time, faster this time. Aya's pulse quickened, her instincts sharpening in a way that surprised her. She moved on instinct alone, and before she realized it, the creature was pinned to the wall, a faint glowing residue outlining its form before it dissipated into nothing. The street fell silent again, the ordinary hum of the city resuming as though nothing had happened.
Aya sank to the ground, hands trembling. "This… this can't be normal." She had felt power surge through her, raw and uncontrollable, yet precise—an instinct she didn't know she possessed. She knew it was hers. Somehow, some part of her knew.
The next morning at school, Aya sat in her usual seat near the window, doodling absentmindedly in her notebook, the events of the night playing repeatedly in her mind. Her friend, Haruka, leaned over, tapping her shoulder.
"Aya, you okay? You look… spaced out."
Aya forced a smile. "Yeah… just tired, that's all."
But she knew she couldn't lie to herself. Something deep inside was awakening, something that had been lying dormant for years. She couldn't shake the feeling that the city, the shadows, even the faint prickling at her fingertips, were calling to her. Calling me toward… what?
Later that day, Aya wandered through the old district after school, drawn inexplicably to a narrow alley she had never noticed before. The street was deserted, the shops shuttered for the evening. The air thickened, heavier here, charged with a tension she could almost taste. Then, without warning, a rift opened in the air before her, a swirling vortex of darkness that pulsed like a heartbeat. From it emerged a creature, larger than the one the night before, its form jagged and flickering like broken glass.
Aya's instincts screamed, and her hands moved before she could think. A sudden shockwave of invisible force erupted from her palm, knocking the creature back. It shrieked, circling her, its form writhing, and Aya felt an unfamiliar exhilaration—this is power, she realized, heart hammering. I have this power.
Yet even as she fought, a voice rang in the recesses of her mind, sharp and commanding: Control it… control it, or it will control you. Aya froze, sweat dripping down her face. The thought… it wasn't hers. It wasn't part of her conscious mind. Who is speaking?
The battle lasted only minutes, though it felt like hours. By the end, the creature disintegrated, leaving only the faint trace of energy in the air, humming faintly as if acknowledging her. Aya stood alone, chest heaving, knees weak. She looked at her hands, trembling yet steady, and whispered, I… I can't ignore this anymore.
Back in her apartment, Aya sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, trying to process. She replayed the night's events, the surge of power, the instinctive control. Memories of her childhood flashed—strange incidents she had ignored, things she couldn't explain, like objects moving on their own or a protective feeling when others were in danger. She had thought them coincidences. She realized now they were signs. She had always had this power, and until now, it had been lying dormant.
A sudden knock at the door startled her. Aya froze. Who could it be at this hour? The knocking came again, insistent. She opened the door, and standing there, illuminated by the flickering hallway light, was a tall figure, his white hair catching the glow like spun silver, his blindfold hiding eyes that seemed to see everything.
"Hello," the man said, his voice calm yet carrying a weight that made Aya's blood run cold. "I'm looking for… someone very powerful. Someone you might already know."
Aya stepped back, confusion and fear mixing in her chest. "Who… who are you?"
"I'm Satoru Gojo," he said simply. "And I believe… you are my sister."
Aya's world tilted. Her mind reeled, and for a moment, all she could do was stare, trying to reconcile the words with the sudden realization that everything she thought she knew about herself was wrong.
And yet, beneath the fear, a spark of something else ignited—excitement, curiosity, and the undeniable thrill of finally stepping into a world she had always belonged to but never known existed.
This… is only the beginning.