Kaizen gripped the worn parchment tightly in his hand, its weight feeling heavier than it should. The old man's words still echoed in his mind—he was never meant to be here, and yet here he stood, a walking contradiction. The world itself seemed to conspire against his existence, and now, the forces hidden in the shadows were moving.
The night air was thick with tension as he and Rei made their way down from the ruins. The path was uneven, cracked with age, but Kaizen's steps were steady. He had spent years trying to avoid trouble, but fate had a way of dragging him into the heart of it.
"You're unusually quiet," Rei remarked, her keen eyes studying him. "That old man's words got to you?"
Kaizen exhaled slowly. "It's not that. It's just... I knew something was off about me, but hearing it confirmed like that? It makes everything feel more real."
Rei nodded. "I get it. But you don't have to shoulder this alone. Whatever's coming, we'll face it together."
Kaizen glanced at her, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "You sure you want to be tangled up in my mess?"
Rei rolled her eyes. "Please, you'd be dead ten times over without me."
Before Kaizen could retort, a sound in the distance made them both freeze. The rustling of leaves. The faint shuffle of footsteps barely audible against the whispering wind.
They weren't alone.
Rei's hand moved to the hilt of her dagger, and Kaizen subtly shifted his stance, muscles coiled like a spring ready to snap. His senses stretched outward, feeling the air around him, searching for movement in the dark.
Then, a voice—low, smooth, and edged with amusement—broke the silence.
"You've been making quite a name for yourself, stranger."
From the shadows, a figure emerged, cloaked in a long dark coat with a hood that obscured most of their face. Despite the concealment, Kaizen could feel the weight of their gaze studying him intently.
Rei didn't hesitate. She drew her dagger, her stance aggressive. "Who the hell are you?"
The figure chuckled. "Just someone curious about the anomaly standing before me."
Kaizen narrowed his eyes. "If you're looking for a fight, you won't like the outcome."
The figure raised a gloved hand in mock surrender. "Now, now, no need for hostility. I'm here to talk."
Rei scoffed. "Yeah? Talk about what?"
The figure tilted their head slightly. "The past. The future. And how someone like you, Kaizen, might just tip the balance of everything."
Kaizen's grip on the parchment tightened. He was tired of riddles, of half-truths and hidden meanings. "Then start talking."
The figure chuckled again, the sound sending a chill down Rei's spine. "Very well. But be warned—once you learn the truth, there's no turning back."
Kaizen's expression hardened. He had already passed the point of no return.
"Then let's hear it."