Kai was leaving the manga store satisfied, holding the latest issue of Hero Carrier. He was about to head home when he heard a female voice calling his name. Turning around, he saw a girl with long, wavy pink hair quickly approaching him with a charming smile. She looked about 5'3" with bright green eyes, wearing a fitted white blouse and a short skirt paired with black tights, giving her an air that mixed innocence with sophistication.
She stopped a few steps away and smiled as she noticed the manga in his hands.
"Hi! Sorry to approach you like this, but did you get the last volume of Hero Carrier, right?" She seemed genuinely excited, her eyes shining with curiosity.
Kai nodded, a little surprised at her sudden interest.
"Would you sell it to me? I'll pay you double the price," she offered, as if making an irresistible proposition.
Kai laughed, politely refusing. Even if the manga was worth more, he really wanted to read the story and had little interest in selling it.
She insisted for a while, offering an increasingly higher price, but he continued to decline. After a few minutes, she switched tactics, trying to draw him into a friendly conversation about the manga. Her tone and smile seemed captivating, and soon, Kai found himself relaxing, talking about the manga with a stranger.
"Remember that chapter where the protagonist tries to help a village but ends up complicating everything?" Yukina asked, smiling.
"Yes, and the one where the demons try to destroy the Hero Carrier to prevent more reincarnations? That's one of my favorites!" Kai replied, excited, feeling increasingly at ease.
They ended up talking about the manga for much longer than Kai had planned. During the conversation, he briefly questioned why he felt so comfortable talking with a complete stranger, but the thought quickly dissipated, and he saw no reason to suspect her. He felt more comfortable as time passed, and Yukina seemed like great company.
After a while, she gave him a more serious look and suggested, "How about we read the manga together? I live nearby... we could go to my place and read it leisurely. I can even make some snacks."
Kai hesitated for a moment but soon agreed, finding the idea very appealing. He followed her to a fifteen-story building on a quieter street. Once inside, they took the elevator to the twelfth floor, where Yukina opened her apartment door. It was a modest but cozy space with a small living room, an integrated kitchen, and two closed doors, likely leading to the bedroom and bathroom. There were a few shelves with exotic objects, which gave Kai a slightly uncomfortable feeling, but he ignored it.
She led him to the sofa, where they both sat down to read the manga. For the first few minutes, everything seemed normal, and Kai began to read and get distracted. Occasionally, they exchanged comments about the story, laughing at events and discussing theories about what might happen in future volumes. Yukina seemed as engrossed as he was, and Kai relaxed more than he should have.
When the sun started to set, he realized how much time had passed and decided to get up to leave.
"I think it's time I go…" he said, turning to leave. But before he could take a step, Yukina grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her.
Without warning, their lips met. Kai was surprised by the sudden gesture, but something held him in place, as if he was being overwhelmed by an invisible force. However, as the kiss intensified, a metallic and bitter taste appeared in his mouth, and a flash of clarity made him realize what was happening.
"A seduction spell," he thought, struggling to resist. With effort, he managed to pull back abruptly and, with a trembling hand, pointed his finger at her chest, conjuring a small magic circle.
"Hado #1, Shō!" he murmured, focusing all the energy he had left.
A burst of energy pushed Yukina backward, throwing her against the kitchen divider, which cracked on impact, sending up a cloud of dust. Though a simple technique, he'd used extra force. Kai looked at his own arm, now injured, and realized he had put too much force into the spell, causing internal injuries.
As the dust settled, he saw Yukina slowly get up. She seemed unscathed, except for her torn clothes and the cold, calculating look she gave him. The sweet smile was gone, replaced by an intense and dangerous gaze. Around her, several shining daggers floated in the air, ready to attack.
"So you still had some resistance…" she said, her once-soft voice now sounding menacing. "Let's see how much you can endure, Kai."
Feeling his strength failing, Kai realized the effects of a poison running through his body. The metallic taste he had sensed earlier now made sense: she had poisoned him through the kiss. His vision began to blur, and his muscles grew heavy. He could barely keep his balance.
Trying to buy time, he gave a weak smile.
"So… you were just probing me?"
Yukina smiled coldly.
"Let's just say I'm very curious about new and mysterious figures like you. Kuoh Academy has been receiving some peculiar visitors, and I needed to know what you're capable of."
Gathering the last of his strength, he leaped towards the door, trying to escape before the poison took full effect. But before he could open it, a black scorpion tail swung down towards him, blocking his way and cracking the floor.
Kai looked up and saw Yukina's familiar: a colossal creature with the upper body of a lion, the lower half of a dog, and a scorpion tail blazing with purple flames. The creature's eyes gleamed, and it let out a low, menacing growl.
"Enju, make sure he doesn't escape," Yukina commanded, stepping back to watch.
Kai retreated, opened the door, and quickly left the apartment, closely followed by the familiar, which moved with surprising speed for its size. Kai dashed down the stairs, hearing the sound of Enju's claws scratching the walls and floor behind him. He tried to stay calm, but his vision was already darkening, and with each step, he felt his strength draining.
Reaching the ground floor, he stumbled and fell in the hallway. When he looked up, he saw Enju blocking the building's exit, the lion's face twisted in a fierce expression. Kai realized he couldn't fight it, but he gathered the little energy he had left for a last resort.
He raised his hand and began to form a white energy sphere, which quickly grew between his fingers.
"This is my last shot… GENKI DAMA!" he shouted, throwing the sphere towards Yukina and her familiar.
The sphere exploded in a blinding flash, and he took the opportunity to dash towards the glass door leading to the street. He jumped outside, hearing the sound of glass shattering behind him. When he finally got out of the building, he kept running, but he noticed something strange: even though it was morning rush hour, the streets were completely empty. He looked around, but no one was in sight.
"A barrier…" he murmured, feeling a chill run down his spine.
The chase wasn't over yet. Enju emerged from the building, roaring with rage, and continued to pursue him. Kai tried to dodge, running through alleys and changing directions, but each time he thought he had escaped, the creature appeared behind him, growling and with its claws ready. The city seemed to have turned into a deserted labyrinth, and he couldn't find a way out.
Nearly losing hope, Kai staggered, his vision almost entirely compromised by the poison. He was exhausted and knew that with his dwindling strength, he couldn't keep running for much longer.
At that moment, however, he felt a powerful presence approaching. An intense, menacing energy filled the air, as if someone was watching him from very close. Enju, sensing the same presence, froze in place and looked around, uncertain.
Yukina, who had been following him closely, also felt the presence, and her expression changed from curiosity to concern.
"Enju, let's retreat," she ordered, her voice low and cautious.
The familiar gave a final frustrated growl but obeyed, disappearing into the shadows. Yukina cast a look of disdain at Kai, who was leaning against a wall in an alley, too weak to continue.
"Today's your lucky day, Kai," she muttered before disappearing with her familiar. "But don't think it's over."
Alone and exhausted, Kai slid down the wall, barely able to stay on his feet. With his eyes nearly closing, he saw a figure approaching from afar. The presence felt familiar and friendly, giving him one last glimmer of hope before everything went dark.