Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: The Mark Beneath the Moon

Akira Yamada tightened his scarf as a crimson-tinted fog rolled through Tokyo's silent streets. Midnight should have felt safe in his own room, but tonight, his skin prickled with an unshakable chill.He jerked awake, chest heaving, sweat sticking to his temples. The dream still echoed—a thousand voices chanting his name across a wasteland lit by a blood-red moon. That whispering urge—"Come forth… Soulbrand child"—rang in his head as he fumbled for his phone. 2:33 AM."Just a nightmare," he muttered, but the burning on his forearm said otherwise.Akira shoved up his sleeve. A jagged mark shimmered, faint crimson against his skin. It wasn't there yesterday. It pulsed like a heartbeat.He blinked and the world seemed to tilt—shadows grew longer, the air thick with unseen tension. Something rustled outside his window. Pushing aside the curtains, Akira stared: a shadow flickered beneath the streetlamp, gone before he could focus. His breath misted in the sudden cold.At breakfast, his grandmother, Akane, eyed him over her steaming tea. "Did you sleep, Akira?" Her voice, always gentle, sounded somehow wary today.He hesitated. "Strange dreams. And… look." He rolled back his sleeve, showing the mark. For just a second, fear darted behind Akane's eyes."That's…" She dropped her gaze. "Be careful on your way to school."As Akira left, the city felt changed. Streets buzzed with rushed, nervous energy. Passing the school gates, he caught sight of a new student—Yui Amamiya, striking in her silver hair and sharp stare. She watched him, eyes narrowing for half a heartbeat before she turned away.His best friend Kano greeted him with a tired punch to the shoulder. "Rough night, Aki? You look like you saw a ghost."Akira's laugh faltered. "Maybe I did."