Hanato's Perspective
The room fell silent after Ryuhou declared that I possessed the power to stop the Vessel of Chaos.
Outside my bedroom window, the evening sky was gradually darkening.
The orange glow of sunset had begun fading behind the towering buildings of Tokyo, while distant sirens echoed throughout the city.
The news report continued playing on the television.
Razorblade was still rampaging somewhere downtown.
Police forces had already established evacuation zones.
Several districts had been placed under emergency lockdown.
And despite all of that...
Nobody had managed to stop him.
I slowly looked away from the television and toward the small black dragon.
Ryuhou had somehow climbed onto my desk and was now staring at the slice of chocolate cake I had brought upstairs.
The dragon's crimson eyes sparkled.
He looked less like an ancient guardian spirit and more like a child discovering dessert for the first time.
"What do you mean I have the power to stop the Vessel of Chaos?"
I crossed my arms.
"Because from where I'm standing, I'm still just a normal high school student."
Ryuhou didn't immediately answer.
Instead, he grabbed a tiny piece of chocolate cake and stuffed it into his mouth.
The dragon chewed happily.
His tail wagged.
I stared.
"...Are you seriously eating cake right now?"
"It's very important."
"What part of this is important?"
"The chocolate."
I rubbed my forehead.
Why was the fate of humanity apparently being entrusted to a dragon addicted to sweets?
After swallowing the cake, Ryuhou finally turned toward me.
"By merging with me, you'll gain access to your Essence Form."
The playful expression disappeared from his face.
His crimson eyes became serious.
"An Essence Form is the true power of a Guardian."
The room suddenly felt heavier.
"The moment you transform, you'll gain access to the power of the Essence of Shadow itself."
I leaned forward.
"Transform?"
Ryuhou nodded.
"Correct."
"Then how do I do it?"
The dragon pointed one claw toward his chest.
"Every Essence Spirit possesses a unique name."
His gaze met mine.
"To transform, the vessel must call upon the spirit."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"And then speak the ancient command."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Ancient command?"
Ryuhou puffed out his chest dramatically.
"'Transform Me.'"
Several seconds passed.
I blinked.
"...That's it?"
"Yes."
"That's the ancient command?"
"Yes."
"That's kind of lame."
"It is not lame."
"It sounds like something from a children's television show."
The dragon glared at me.
"Just because you're not creative doesn't mean ancient magic isn't."
I couldn't help laughing.
Ryuhou looked even more offended.
Eventually, the dragon sighed.
"There's one condition."
My smile faded.
"A condition?"
He nodded.
"The spirit must possess enough energy to merge."
I immediately became curious.
"Energy?"
"Correct."
The dragon grabbed another piece of cake.
"The transformation consumes spiritual energy."
Chew.
"The stronger the form."
Chew.
"The more energy required."
Chew.
"The more abilities you use."
Chew.
"The faster that energy drains."
I pointed toward the nearly finished cake.
"And the solution is dessert?"
The dragon swallowed proudly.
"Food restores spiritual energy."
"...You're kidding."
"I'm not."
"You're telling me the legendary Essence of Shadow is powered by snacks?"
"The technical explanation is far more complicated."
"And?"
Ryuhou pointed toward the cake.
"Cake."
I stared.
The dragon stared back.
Honestly...
I wasn't even surprised anymore.
Eventually, a grin spread across my face.
"Then let's try it."
The dragon blinked.
"What?"
"If I really have this power..."
I stood from the bed.
"I want to see it."
Ryuhou's crimson eyes widened.
Then a huge smile appeared across his face.
"Now you're talking."
The dragon hopped onto the floor.
His wings fluttered excitedly.
I walked toward the center of my room.
My heart began beating faster.
Everything felt unreal.
This morning I had been worried about class elections.
Now I was apparently a chosen guardian fighting ancient evil.
Life was weird.
Very weird.
But strangely enough...
I wasn't scared.
I was excited.
The kind of excitement that came before stepping onto a roller coaster.
The kind that made your blood race.
I took a deep breath.
Then raised my hand.
"Ryuhou."
The dragon smiled.
Black energy began gathering around his body.
The shadows inside the room slowly stretched.
The lights flickered.
The temperature dropped.
I could feel something awakening inside my chest.
Something powerful.
Something ancient.
"Transform me."
The moment the words left my mouth—
A black light erupted from my chest.
My eyes widened.
A small black orb appeared at the center of my body.
The orb pulsed like a living heartbeat.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Darkness exploded outward.
The shadows throughout the room rushed toward me.
The curtains.
The walls.
The floor.
Every shadow seemed alive.
They wrapped around my body like flowing water.
Ryuhou launched himself forward.
The dragon dissolved into countless particles of black light.
Those particles merged directly into my chest.
The sensation wasn't painful.
Instead...
It felt warm.
Comforting.
Like reconnecting with something I had forgotten long ago.
The darkness completely swallowed me.
A black sphere formed around my body.
Power surged through every muscle.
Every bone.
Every nerve.
The energy felt endless.
Then—
The sphere shattered.
Thousands of black fragments scattered into the air before disappearing.
I slowly opened my eyes.
Everything felt different.
Sharper.
Clearer.
Stronger.
I looked down at myself.
My school uniform was gone.
In its place was a black leather combat suit.
Dark gloves covered my hands.
Matching boots protected my legs.
A long black scarf flowed behind me despite the lack of wind.
The scarf almost seemed alive.
I reached toward my hair.
The blue color was gone.
It had become jet black.
A nearby mirror reflected my appearance.
My eyes glowed crimson.
Like Ryuhou's.
Like the shadows themselves.
I stared at my reflection.
Then I grinned.
"This..."
I clenched my fist.
Dark energy immediately gathered around it.
"...is so cool."
My voice sounded different.
More confident.
More powerful.
A familiar laugh echoed inside my mind.
"Do you like the form?"
I immediately looked around.
"Ryuhou?"
The dragon was nowhere to be seen.
"Where are you?"
"I am inside your mind."
His voice echoed clearly.
"When a vessel and spirit merge, they establish an Essence Link."
I slowly nodded.
"So we're sharing thoughts now?"
"More or less."
"That's convenient."
"And annoying."
"Why annoying?"
"Now I get to hear all your stupid thoughts."
I frowned.
"Hey."
The dragon laughed.
The sound echoed throughout my mind.
Eventually I became serious again.
"Alright."
I walked toward the balcony.
"How exactly are we supposed to stop Razorblade?"
The dragon's tone immediately shifted.
"Now that you've entered your Essence Form, your physical abilities have increased dramatically."
I flexed my fingers.
Honestly...
I could already feel it.
Everything felt lighter.
Even breathing felt easier.
"Additionally."
Ryuhou continued.
"You now possess three abilities."
My interest immediately rose.
"Abilities?"
"Your first ability is Phantom Sneak."
Dark energy gathered around my hand.
"The ability covers your body with shadows."
The darkness wrapped around my arm.
"For a brief period, physical attacks will pass through you."
My eyes widened.
"That's broken."
"It consumes energy."
"Of course it does."
"The second ability is Phantom Image."
Three shadowy figures suddenly appeared beside me.
Each one looked identical to me.
Same clothes.
Same face.
Same scarf.
I nearly jumped backward.
"What the—?!"
"Illusions."
Ryuhou explained.
"You may create up to three shadow clones."
I walked around one.
It copied my movements perfectly.
"Okay."
I admitted.
"That's even cooler."
"The final ability is Phantom Manipulation."
The shadows beneath my feet suddenly moved.
Like living creatures.
Several dark tendrils rose from the floor.
The tendrils twisted together before forming whip-like shapes.
I stared in amazement.
"You can control shadows."
Ryuhou's voice carried pride.
"Although currently your mastery is limited."
The shadow whips cracked through the air.
"For now, this is your limit."
I nodded.
Even this was incredible.
Then another question appeared.
"Are there restrictions?"
Ryuhou immediately answered.
"Everything consumes energy."
The shadow whips vanished.
"The longer you fight."
"The more abilities you use."
"The faster you'll drain your reserves."
I became serious.
"And when it reaches zero?"
"You'll be forced out of your Essence Form."
The answer was exactly what I expected.
A powerful ability always came with a price.
Still.
That changed nothing.
I looked toward the city skyline outside my balcony.
In the distance, smoke rose into the night sky.
Emergency sirens continued echoing.
People were still in danger.
Reno was still out there.
Lilie was still missing.
And somewhere...
The Vessel of Chaos was watching everything unfold.
I clenched my fists.
"We don't have time to waste."
Ryuhou didn't disagree.
For once, the dragon remained silent.
He understood.
I stepped onto the balcony railing.
The night wind struck my face.
Far below stood the massive gardens of the Kisaragi Estate.
Normally it would have taken several minutes to reach the ground.
Tonight—
I jumped.
The moment my feet left the railing, instinctively I expected to fall.
Instead, I landed effortlessly atop a nearby tree branch.
The branch barely moved.
My eyes widened.
I had crossed nearly twenty meters.
In a single leap.
"Whoa."
Ryuhou laughed.
"Welcome to being a Guardian."
A grin spread across my face.
Without hesitation, I jumped again.
And again.
And again.
Tree after tree.
Branch after branch.
The city rushed closer.
The wind roared past my ears.
The excitement in my chest grew stronger with every leap.
For the first time in my life...
I wasn't running toward a prank.
I wasn't running toward trouble.
I was running toward a battle.
And somewhere within the burning city...
The first Guardian of Shadow in centuries was about to make his debut.
Hina's Perspective
The room had finally become quiet.
The television downstairs continued broadcasting emergency reports, but from inside my bedroom, everything felt strangely distant.
A few minutes ago, I had been an ordinary high school girl worrying about homework, class elections, and whether my mother would scold me for being late.
Now a tiny dragon was standing on my desk explaining that I had been chosen to save the world.
Life really wasn't fair.
I sat on the edge of my bed while staring at the small white dragon in front of me.
Ryuna sat atop my desk with her tail gently swaying behind her.
The warm glow coming from her white scales illuminated the room with a soft light.
She looked harmless.
Cute, even.
Yet she had casually revealed information that completely shattered everything I thought I knew about reality.
Ancient guardians.
Twelve Essences.
Corrupted monsters.
A Vessel of Chaos.
And apparently...
Me.
For some reason, I had become involved in all of it.
My hands tightened around the blanket.
"What do you mean I'm the only one who can restore everything back to normal?"
The question escaped my lips before I could stop it.
Ryuna's expression immediately softened.
The dragon seemed to understand exactly why I was asking.
"Because the Essence of Light is unique."
I remained silent.
"The Essence of Light possesses the power of purification."
Her blue eyes reflected a quiet seriousness.
"It can restore what corruption destroys."
I looked down.
"Restore?"
Ryuna nodded.
"The Vessel of Chaos doesn't simply create monsters."
Her voice became quieter.
"He corrupts people."
The words immediately made me think of Reno.
The shy boy from class.
The awkward student who barely spoke to anyone.
The same boy who had transformed into Razorblade.
The same boy who had kidnapped Lilie.
The same boy currently being hunted throughout Tokyo.
A painful feeling settled inside my chest.
If what Ryuna said was true...
Then Reno wasn't truly responsible.
Someone had manipulated him.
Someone had taken advantage of his pain.
Someone had turned him into a weapon.
"The Essence of Light can save them."
Ryuna's voice interrupted my thoughts.
"The corrupted can still be restored."
I slowly raised my head.
"But..."
The dragon smiled.
"You are the only one capable of doing it."
The room became silent.
I didn't know how to respond.
Honestly...
I didn't know what to feel.
Fear?
Confusion?
Pressure?
Probably all three.
Because no matter how many times Ryuna explained it...
One question continued repeating inside my mind.
Why me?
I looked down at my hands.
The same ordinary hands I'd had my entire life.
There was nothing special about them.
Nothing extraordinary.
Nothing worthy of being called a hero.
"But I'm not special."
The words escaped before I could stop them.
Ryuna tilted her head.
I continued.
"Everyone keeps saying that I am."
I laughed bitterly.
"My teachers."
"My classmates."
"My relatives."
"They all think I'm talented."
The smile disappeared from my face.
"But I don't see it."
The confession surprised even me.
I wasn't the type of person who talked about my insecurities.
Not even with Yuki.
Especially not with Yuki.
Because if Yuki heard this conversation, she'd probably spend the next month teasing me.
Yet somehow...
Speaking to Ryuna felt easy.
Maybe because she wasn't judging me.
Maybe because she wasn't human.
Or maybe because she looked like a tiny stuffed animal.
"I've never felt special."
My voice became quieter.
"I'm just someone who studies hard."
I thought about my mother.
About her expectations.
About all the effort I'd spent trying not to disappoint her.
"Everything I've accomplished happened because I worked for it."
I clenched my fists.
"So why does it have to be me?"
The dragon remained silent for several moments.
Then she slowly walked closer.
Her tiny footsteps barely made a sound.
When she finally spoke, her voice was gentle.
"Because you're the chosen one."
I immediately groaned.
"That doesn't answer anything."
"It answers everything."
"It really doesn't."
"It does."
"No."
"Yes."
I stared at her.
She stared back.
Several seconds passed.
Then Ryuna puffed out her cheeks.
The gesture somehow made the ancient spirit look even smaller.
I couldn't help smiling.
The dragon immediately pointed at me.
"See?"
"What?"
"You smiled."
"That's because you look ridiculous."
Ryuna looked offended.
"I am a sacred spirit."
"You look like a plush toy."
The dragon gasped dramatically.
The conversation somehow eased the tension in my chest.
Only a little.
But enough.
Eventually I sighed.
"Even if I accept all of this..."
I gestured around the room.
"How exactly am I supposed to stop someone like the Vessel of Chaos?"
The dragon's expression immediately brightened.
"As your spirit, I can grant you access to your Essence Form."
My curiosity returned.
"Essence Form?"
Ryuna nodded excitedly.
"Think of it as a special transformation."
The word transformation immediately sounded concerning.
"Transformation?"
"Yes."
The dragon proudly raised her head.
"When a vessel and spirit become one, they can temporarily merge."
A bright light appeared around her body.
The room became warmer.
"The result is an Essence Form."
I listened carefully.
"During that state, you'll gain access to the power of the Essence of Light."
That sounded suspiciously similar to something from a magical girl anime.
Unfortunately...
Considering everything that had happened today...
I could no longer dismiss things that sounded ridiculous.
"How do I transform?"
Ryuna smiled.
"Simply call my name."
I blinked.
"That's it?"
"Then say the ancient verse."
The dragon's eyes sparkled dramatically.
"'Transform Me.'"
I stared.
The room became silent.
Then I slowly looked away.
"...That's incredibly embarrassing."
Ryuna immediately pouted.
"Ancient magic is not embarrassing."
"It absolutely is."
"It is not."
"It sounds like something Yuki would write."
The dragon hesitated.
"...Who is Yuki?"
"Someone you'd either become best friends with or regret meeting immediately."
Ryuna looked confused.
I decided not to elaborate.
Eventually I returned to the topic.
"What kind of powers would I gain?"
The dragon immediately became serious.
"Three abilities."
I sat up straighter.
Three abilities.
That sounded manageable.
Maybe.
"The first ability is Celestial Boost."
White light appeared around Ryuna.
The room became brighter.
"It surrounds your body with the power of light."
The glow intensified.
"Allowing you to move at incredible speeds."
"How fast?"
Ryuna proudly puffed out her chest.
"The speed of light."
I nearly fell off the bed.
"The WHAT?!"
The dragon nodded.
"As your mastery grows."
I stared at her.
That sounded absurdly overpowered.
Unfortunately, Ryuna immediately raised a claw.
"However."
I knew there would be an however.
"You cannot activate it freely."
Of course.
"The ability only awakens when you possess complete understanding of what must be done."
I frowned.
"What does that mean?"
The dragon smiled.
"When the time comes, you'll understand."
I hated mysterious answers.
The dragon continued.
"Your second ability is Celestial Restoration."
Her expression softened.
"This is the power that makes the Essence of Light special."
The glow around her became warmer.
Gentler.
"It allows you to completely restore all damage caused by corruption."
My eyes widened.
"Completely?"
Ryuna nodded.
"Physical injuries."
"Property damage."
"Corruption itself."
Hope immediately appeared inside my chest.
Then another question surfaced.
"Wait."
I leaned forward.
"If that's true..."
"Can it save Reno?"
The dragon smiled.
"Yes."
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
Without doubt.
Just one word.
Yes.
For the first time since the attack...
I felt relieved.
Genuinely relieved.
But Ryuna wasn't finished.
"There is a condition."
Of course there was.
"There always is."
The dragon nodded.
"Before you can activate Celestial Restoration..."
Her blue eyes became serious.
"You must destroy the Corruption Mark."
I blinked.
"The Corruption Mark?"
Ryuna nodded.
"It's a curse."
The room became silent.
"The Vessel of Chaos places it upon his victims."
The dragon raised a claw.
"As long as that mark exists, the corruption remains."
I slowly absorbed the information.
"So I have to break the mark first."
"Correct."
"And then I can save them."
"Correct."
The dragon paused.
Then her expression became concerned.
"But there is a cost."
My stomach tightened.
"A cost?"
She nodded.
"Celestial Restoration consumes a tremendous amount of energy."
The room became quiet.
"Once activated..."
Her voice softened.
"You'll only have a few minutes remaining before your transformation ends."
I slowly nodded.
That made sense.
Power always came with a price.
Then Ryuna raised another claw.
"Finally."
A small orb of light appeared above her hand.
The orb floated gently through the room.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Radiant.
"Your final ability."
The orb became brighter.
"Celestial Light Manipulation."
The light slowly danced around the room.
"You can control and shape light itself."
My eyes widened.
"That sounds useful."
Ryuna giggled.
"For now."
The orb exploded into dozens of smaller lights.
"You can only create light orbs."
"...Only?"
The dragon stared at me.
"Do you know how many vessels accidentally blow up trees during training?"
I immediately reconsidered my complaint.
"Fair point."
The room fell quiet once more.
Everything Ryuna had told me sounded incredible.
Amazing.
Terrifying.
And completely overwhelming.
Because despite all of it...
The same doubt remained.
Could I really do this?
Could someone like me actually save anyone?
I lowered my head.
"I don't know if I can."
The words came out quietly.
Almost too quietly.
For several moments, Ryuna said nothing.
Then suddenly—
A tiny claw poked my forehead.
"Ow."
I looked up.
The dragon was smiling.
A warm, gentle smile.
The kind Yuki sometimes gave whenever she knew I was being too hard on myself.
"I know you can."
I blinked.
Ryuna nodded firmly.
"Have faith in yourself."
The dragon's blue eyes sparkled.
"Because I already do."
The words struck deeper than I expected.
For some reason...
Hearing someone say they believed in me felt strangely comforting.
Even if that someone happened to be a dragon.
My chest tightened.
The doubts were still there.
The fear was still there.
But maybe...
Just maybe...
I could try.
I slowly took a deep breath.
Then looked directly at Ryuna.
"I'll..."
The dragon waited patiently.
"I'll..."
My hands clenched slightly.
"I'll try my best."
Ryuna's smile immediately widened.
And somewhere beyond the city...
As Shadow raced toward his first battle...
The Light had finally taken its first step forward.