The Kuroya Clan, in stark contrast to the cold and silent grandeur of the Mikazuki Mansion, was a place teeming with life. The vast estate stretched over miles, blending seamlessly with the dense forestry and crystalline lakes that dotted its landscape. Towering ancient trees, their boughs heavy with frost, bore witness to the legacy of one of the strongest werewolf clans in existence. Here, nature thrived under the dominion of the lunar wolves, their very presence exuding a primal energy that pulsed through the air like an unspoken hymn of dominance.
Inside one of the many chambers within the sprawling compound, a lone figure stood before a mirror, his gaze locked onto his own reflection.
Renji Kuroya.
Gone was the slightly above average, unremarkable boy that once bore the Kuroya name in mediocrity. His transformation had been drastic—his once lean frame had developed powerful musculature, though not grotesquely so. His hair, once a mundane brown, now cascaded in waves of striking ice-blue, matching the piercing glacial hue of his eyes. His entire being radiated an aura of raw, untamed power. It was the mark of his bloodline's awakening. A sign that he had finally become what he was meant to be.
He clenched his fist, feeling the coursing energy of his new form surging through his veins. The very air around him reacted to his presence, an unnatural chill seeping into the room.
"Finally..." he whispered, his voice trembling with an emotion that lay somewhere between exhilaration and disbelief. He could at last call himself a true Kuroya, a true lunar wolf. The great werewolf clan blessed with the elemental affinity of ice. He had longed for this day, and now that it was here, a sense of purpose filled his chest.
But his moment of triumph was short-lived.
The temperature in the room plummeted even further, the breath escaping his lips crystallizing into mist. An ominous presence loomed behind him.
He turned slowly, his sharpened senses already alert.
Standing at the doorway was an older version of himself, his features hardened by years of experience, his stance dripping with arrogant confidence. Kenji Kuroya—his elder brother. The golden prodigy. The tormentor. The one who always reminded him of his inadequacy.
Kenji's lips curled into a smirk, his arms crossed over his broad chest as he examined Renji with something between amusement and contempt.
"Well, well, if it isn't the little 'Fated One.'" His voice dripped with sarcasm, his piercing gaze scrutinizing every inch of Renji's altered form.
Renji clenched his fists. He had expected this. His brother had always made sure to keep him beneath his boot, belittling him at every turn. Even now, with his newfound power, Kenji's disdain remained unchanged.
Kenji scoffed. "Don't get ahead of yourself. Awakening the Frozen Heart doesn't make you special." He stepped closer, his voice lowering to a chilling whisper. "To me, you're still just an insignificant insect. Even with all your luck, I could crush you with ease."
Renji took a deep breath, forcing his anger down. As much as he loathed to admit it, Kenji was still stronger. Four years of experience stood between them, and no amount of inherited power could bridge that gap instantly. For now, he had to endure.
Kenji's smirk widened as if he could read his brother's thoughts. "The look on your face says it all. You're angry, aren't you? Why not take a swing at me? Come on, I don't mind playing punching bag for you."
Before Renji could react, a sudden pain exploded in his gut.
A well-placed punch.
He gasped, doubling over, his breath stolen from his lungs.
Kenji chuckled darkly, his expression cold. "Even with you awakening the so called legendary trait, the 'frozen heart' you're still useless. Anybtrue werewolf should had been able to transform right from birth,Yet here you stand—an abomination of our clan. A freak blessed by fortune, not talent. You don't deserve the Frozen Heart." His nails elongated into jagged claws of ice, their edges gleaming with deadly intent. "Maybe I should just put you out of your misery."
Kenji raised his hand, his sharpened claws aimed for Renji's throat.
Then everything stopped.
In an instant, Kenji's entire body was encased in ice.
Frozen solid.
The frost spread from his feet to his head, encasing him in a crystalline prison, his expression of twisted delight frozen in time. The sheer precision of the spell was terrifying.
Renji's stunned gaze shifted to the doorway.
A woman stood there, draped in flowing white robes, her face concealed behind a delicate veil. Wisps of blue hair framed her ethereal presence, and atop her head, wolf-like ears twitched slightly.
The Clan Priestess.
"Do that, and I will kill you myself," she said, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable weight of authority. "It is clear to me that you are jealous of your younger brother. Shame on you, Kenji Kuroya. If anything, you are the one whose life is miserable."
Renji straightened immediately, bowing slightly in deference. The priestess rarely left the temple. The fact that she had come all the way to his chambers was… unnerving.
"Clan Priestess…" he murmured, still confused by her presence.
She regarded him for a long moment before speaking. "I see you remain as respectful as ever. Pay no mind to your brother. He is a fool who fails to grasp the truth of the world around him. Come with me, Renji."
Without another word, she turned and left.
Renji lingered for a moment, glancing at his frozen brother. A flicker of satisfaction gleamed in his eyes.
"I swear, Kenji... I will repay every ounce of suffering you've caused me. Tenfold. No matter what."
With that, he left the room, stepping into the unknown path that awaited him.
---
Meanwhile, at the Mikazuki Mansion...
Masaru and Akane sat across from each other, tension thick in the air.
Masaru's hands were clenched on the table as he replayed the events in his mind. "I remember everything before I passed out. I was trying to bond with it. My blood touched it, and then—blackout. There was no one else in the room. No one knocked me unconscious. So how?"
Akane exhaled sharply. "You still have much to learn about the supernatural world. Anything is possible. If I had to guess… it could have been the work of a Siren."
Masaru frowned. "A Siren? Like the ones that sing sailors to their deaths?"
She almost laughed at his comment, but that was not the time to do so. "Their illusions and hypnotic abilities are among the strongest in existence. Rewriting someone's memory? A trivial task for them. And if one was here... it means something bigger is at play."
Masaru's expression hardened. "Then how do we break it? If anything is possible, there has to be a way."
Akane crossed her arms under her chest, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Clever. Using my own words against me."
She leaned forward, her gaze sharp. "There are two ways. The first is to find another Siren to counteract the illusion, but they're rare. The second… is a witch. A strong one. Luckily for us, I know just the right person. A powerful witch who just moved back to Japan."
Masaru exhaled. "Then let's find her. Fast."