The river's current slammed into him, icy and relentless. Kado's chest burned, every stroke stabbing through his ribs, yet something else—something dark, unnatural—pushed him forward.
He didn't consciously swim. He didn't think. He only felt the command: reach her. Save her.
"Akira!" he gasped, voice raw, swallowed almost immediately by the roar of the river.
Hands flailing, he saw her small body tossed beneath the waves. Her arms reached upward, trembling, helpless.
No… A shiver ran down his spine. This wasn't panic. This was control. His limbs moved as if not his own.
And then—the cursed demon appeared, grinning inside his vision. Its hollow eyes bored into him.
Weakling, it hissed. You are mine.
Kado's eyes snapped open. Water crashed into him. He didn't question the demon, didn't argue—he surged forward, propelled by something older, darker, stronger than himself.
The current clawed at him, trying to pull him under. He stretched his arms desperately, heart hammering. Then a sudden, violent push surged through his body.
He grabbed her. Small, limp, shivering in his arms.
The river roared, but he moved like a force of nature, cutting through the waves without thought, without hesitation. His vision blurred, lungs screaming for air, yet something—something inside him—kept driving him.
And then—they broke the surface.
The water spat them onto the bank. Kado collapsed, clutching her close. She didn't move, didn't wake—just lay there, shivering, safe in his arms.
He panted, chest heaving, eyes wide and wild. What… what just—
Behind him, the river churned violently, shadows dancing in the water's reflection. He felt it—the presence inside him, dark and commanding, whispering, You are mine.
Kado's limbs burned, chest screaming with pain—but it wasn't just exhaustion.
Something else moved inside him.
His right arm jerked, stronger than he could command. His right leg pushed him forward through the torrent with unnatural power. He didn't think, didn't resist—it was as if the river obeyed the force inside him.
A creeping sensation crawled up his arm, and then he noticed it: black-and-red veins twisting under his skin, snaking up his arm like living shadows.
He reached a hand to his chest, then to his arm. His eyes widened.
"What… what is this?!" he muttered, voice trembling, almost hoarse. His fingers dug at the veins as if scratching away something that didn't belong to him.
The river spat them onto the bank. Akira lay in his arms, shivering but alive, oblivious to the strange, terrifying change crawling through Kado's body.
He pulled himself up on trembling legs, eyes fixed on his right arm. The veins pulsed under his skin, throbbing like a heartbeat of their own.
"I… I didn't… I didn't do this…" he whispered, voice low, almost afraid to speak.
The wind rustled across the riverbank, carrying the faintest echo of a demonic laugh only he could feel. Kado froze, staring at his transformed limbs.
What… is happening to me?
Kado shook Akira urgently. "Wake up! Come on! Don't stay under!"
She coughed violently, sputtering water. "Ugh… I… I'm fine! I—"
"Stop lying! You could've drowned!" Kado shouted, pressing gently on her shoulders.
Reflexively, Akira slapped his hands away.
"Hey! Watch it!"
"I… I'm sorry! Reflex!" she gasped, still coughing.
Kado froze, chest heaving, and stepped back. "Just… stay with me," he muttered.
From the path, two women carrying baskets appeared.
One called out, "What happened here? Are you both alright?"
Kado ran toward them. "Help her! Please! She's my sister! We got lost—we need help!"
The woman glanced at Akira, pity in her eyes. "Bring her here. Quick."
Kado handed her over carefully. "Be gentle! She almost drowned!"
As they walked toward the orphanage, one of the women asked him, "And you? What's your name, lad?"
Kado hesitated, jaw tight. "My name is… Kado… Ho—" He paused, swallowed, then added quickly, "…Ren," leaving his real surname unspoken.
The woman nodded slowly. "Alright… Ren. Let's get you both inside and warm."
Inside the orphanage, children peeked from the windows and doorways. One sneered, "Look at the new kids. Think they'll last here?"
Akira started crying quietly, holding herself. "I… I want to go home…"
The other children laughed at her. Kado's jaw clenched tightly. His fists curled at his sides. They'll pay for laughing at her, he muttered under his breath, silent but furious.
He glanced at Akira. She hid her face in her hands, trembling. For now, he stayed quiet, letting the women lead them further inside.
Akira clung to Kado as the two women led her away.
One boy stepped forward, trying to grab him.
"Hey! You can't just—"
"I can move on my own!" Kado snapped, yanking free. He shoved past him, chest heaving, face tight with anger.
He stormed down the passage to his room, slammed the door, and changed into dry clothes.
A voice called from outside his door. "Lunch!"
Kado stomped into the hall, glancing around. The long tables, the chatter—it was all so different. Compared to the palace dining halls, this place is a joke, he muttered under his breath as he sat.
As Kado sat down, one of the boys swaggered over, a smirk on his face.
"You think you're some big hero, huh?" he sneered. "What, drowning kids and crying
like a baby?"
Another chimed in, "Yeah, we saw you. Couldn't even save her. Pathetic."
"Didn't even know how to handle yourself in water," a third boy laughed, pointing at him.
"Weakling, that's what you are. Can't protect anyone."
"Your arms are shaking," another said, mockingly. "Didn't expect a lad like you to survive at all."
Kado's fists clenched, his jaw tight. "You… you don't know anything!" he growled under his breath.
"Look at him, trembling," one of them sneered. "What's the matter? Afraid we'll see how useless you really are?"
"You call that saving a girl? Ha! You're nothing," another added, slamming his hand on the table for emphasis.
Something snapped inside Kado. His hands shot up instinctively. Before he fully realized it, he grabbed the first boy by the collar and slammed him onto the table.
Plates clattered. Silence fell over the hall. Kado froze, staring at his hands, feeling the weight of what he'd just done. Slowly, he released the boy and stepped back.
He didn't say a word. Turning sharply, he left the hall, footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Kado slammed the door behind him, chest heaving.
He dropped onto the edge of the bed and flexed his right hand.
Black and red veins writhed across his skin, pulsing like fire beneath his flesh.
"What… what is this?" he muttered, eyes wide, heart hammering. His fingers twitched, and the energy seemed to move with him, alive and sharp.
The shadows of the room stretched across the walls, flickering in the dim light. He swallowed hard, pressing his hand to his chest.
The veins pulsed faster, crawling toward his shoulder. "Why now…? How…?"
A soft voice whispered from the corner of the room. "I know what you are. I can help you."