Tokyo – late at night.
The city was brightly lit and bustling.
Cars drove through the streets, people walked along the sidewalks, while the neon lights of the buildings bathed the sky in an artificial glow.
And suddenly…
the air warped.
A soft crackling sound, as if space itself were shattering.
Then, suddenly, someone stood there in a neon-lit side street.
A man with white hair, elegant clothing, and a completely bewildered expression.
He slowly looked around in confusion as his golden eyes swept over the tall buildings and down to the asphalt-paved streets teeming with people.
Next to him, another person stood silently. A young, beautiful woman with a confused yet intimidated expression.
The man remained silent for a few seconds as his face twisted into an annoyed look and he turned toward the street.
"…What exactly is this?"
He crossed his arms behind his back and sighed loudly, as if the world itself had violated his precious rights, as his voice grew louder.
"It's truly astonishing how disrespectful a world can be. Without any warning, I am being removed from my lawful place of residence in violation of my rights and taken to a place unknown to me, which I never authorized. This is a massive violation of my personal right to freedom of movement!"
The passersby, who could hear him all the way out on the street, simply kept walking and tried to avoid making eye contact with the man screaming wildly in the alley.
As the man roared through the alley, visibly agitated, the young woman with blonde hair slowly and nervously turned to face him. Her gaze was lowered to the ground as she spoke to him calmly, in a respectful tone and with an emotionless expression.
"Regulus-sama..."
As soon these words had left her mouth, the man turned toward the young woman with a visibly irritated posture and looked her straight in the eyes with a twisted expression.
"Did you just really speak without my permission? How dare you, Number 215, violate my rights as your husband in such a manner? If I deem it appropriate to hear your voice, I will of course freely express this and let you know, but I have not. Don't you see how arrogant and selfish you're acting right now? I mean, really... why do you think you can just trample all over my rights however you please?"
The young woman immediately dropped to both knees and bowed humbly before the outraged man, her face now filled with fear, and began to apologize in a trembling voice.
"I deeply apologize for my selfish and unfaithful behavior. I will now always strive to be a better wife to you, my dear husband, Regulus-sama..."
His face relaxed slightly as he let out a loud sigh and extended a hand to Number 215, looking down at her proudly with a slightly arrogant smile.
"I knew you had a sensible mind, Number 215. As a righteous and caring husband, I of course, naturally cannot bear to see one of my beloved wives kneeling on such filthy ground."
The young woman took his hand the next moment and rose from the street, just as Regulus spotted something a short distance away behind his wife.
Something was moving there. It made unholy noises, as in the next moment, a deformed figure with multiple arms, a distorted face, and a body of black, pulsating mass crawled out of the darkness.
"Number 215, get behind me. Now."
Regulus spoke these words with urgency in his voice, for he knew that if she were to die now, he would no longer be able to use his "Lion's Heart" ability.
Without hesitation, she did exactly as Regulus said and stood behind him.
He now stood silently watching the strange creature when it suddenly let out a distorted scream and charged at him with astonishing speed.
A moment later, the creature's arms lashed out at his head, but just before they could touch him, they struck againgst an invisible barrier in reality.
The claw stopped abruptly, while Regulus slowly looked at the arms and then gazed into the creature's face, irritated and indignant.
"Now listen… what exactly do you think you're doing? You exist in my vicinity, attack me without permission like a wild beast, and dare to disturb my time? You're pissing me off"
The Cursed Spirit screeched again and attacked again and again. ...and again, but each time its attacks simply bounced off, whereupon Regulus saw a small pebble lying on the ground in front of him and slowly picked it up into his hand.
He looked at the Cursed Spirit with an annoyed expression, aiming the small pebble in his hand at the creature that kept attacking.
"Enough of you! I'm pretty sure that was a series of violations against my right of physical integrity!"
The next moment, he flicked the pebble from his fingers, whereupon the creature exploded before him immeadiately.
Regulus turned back toward the city, as few moments later, he begann slightly to smile.
"Well, let's get down to business... Where exactly even am I? This place seems quite strange afterall"