Morning arrived quietly at Shadow Academy.
The sky above the vast training grounds was pale gray, and a cold wind moved through the empty courtyard. Usually, the academy would already be filled with the sound of students training, arguing, or showing off their abilities.
But today was different.
The silence felt heavier.
Arata stood among the other students in the central courtyard. His eyes looked calmer than before, but something inside him had changed since the incident in Sector C.
The memory of Mira's death still lingered like a shadow.
But instead of breaking him… it had hardened him.
At the front, Kaito stood with his usual relaxed posture, hands in his pockets, blindfold covering his glowing eyes.
Behind him stood several academy instructors.
"Listen carefully," Kaito said.
His voice instantly captured everyone's attention.
"Your training phase is officially over."
A murmur spread among the students.
"Starting today," he continued, "you will begin **real field missions**."
Some students looked excited.
Others looked nervous.
Arata remained silent.
Kaito slowly raised his hand, and a glowing map appeared in the air.
"Last night, one of our surveillance units detected a **distortion zone** about 60 kilometers north of the academy."
The map zoomed in.
A dark red mark pulsed like a wound in reality.
"This isn't a normal cursed creature," Kaito explained.
"This is a **Gate Fragment**."
The courtyard became quiet.
Ren frowned.
"A gate?" he asked.
Kaito nodded.
"Someone is trying to open a passage between our world… and the Abyss."
Several students immediately tensed.
Everyone knew what that meant.
Monsters far worse than ordinary cursed creatures.
Arata's eyes narrowed slightly.
*The Dark Organization…*
Kaito clapped his hands once.
"You will form squads of three."
Holographic screens appeared beside each student, displaying their team assignments.
Arata looked at his.
**Team 3**
Arata Kurogane
Ren Shiroyama
Lyra Takeda
A girl stepped forward from the crowd.
Lyra Takeda had long crimson hair tied in a loose braid. Her expression was calm, almost unreadable. A faint golden aura flickered around her fingers.
Ren glanced at Arata.
"Well," he said, smirking slightly.
"This should be interesting."
Lyra simply nodded.
"I hope both of you can keep up."
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Confident, aren't we?"
Kaito ignored the small tension.
"You leave in ten minutes," he said.
"Remember one thing."
His voice became serious.
"If the Gate opens completely… retreat immediately."
"Why?" one student asked.
For the first time that morning—
Kaito's smile disappeared.
"Because if that happens…"
"…none of you will survive."
---
### The Mission Site
The team vehicles stopped near a dense forest.
The sky above the area looked distorted, as if reality itself was trembling.
A faint black crack floated in the air between the trees.
Arata stepped out of the vehicle.
Immediately, he felt it.
That pressure.
That same dark energy he had sensed before.
Ren exhaled slowly.
"This atmosphere… I hate it."
Lyra walked ahead, scanning the surroundings.
"The distortion is increasing," she said calmly.
Suddenly—
A low growl echoed through the forest.
The ground shook slightly.
Three monstrous creatures crawled out from the shadows.
Their bodies were twisted, half-formed from black smoke and bone.
"Cursed beasts," Ren said.
"Let's finish them quickly."
He slammed his palm against the ground.
"**Frost Spear!**"
Several ice spears shot forward, piercing one of the creatures instantly.
Lyra raised two fingers.
Golden threads of energy appeared around her hand.
"**Light Bind.**"
The second creature was instantly wrapped in glowing chains.
Arata watched silently for a moment.
Then the third creature charged directly at him.
Its claws swung down.
Arata stepped forward.
"Resonance…"
The air trembled.
"…Pulse."
A shockwave exploded from his palm.
The creature shattered instantly.
Ren looked impressed.
"You're getting better."
Arata didn't reply.
His eyes were fixed on the crack in the air.
Because it was growing.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Lyra suddenly froze.
"…Something's wrong."
Ren followed her gaze.
The crack widened slightly.
Then—
A hand appeared from inside it.
A pale, unnatural hand.
Something was trying to **crawl out**.
Arata's heart skipped a beat.
The air became heavier.
A deep voice echoed from the darkness beyond the crack.
"Interesting…"
Ren stepped back.
"Tell me that thing isn't coming through."
The hand gripped the edge of the rift.
And then—
A single glowing eye opened inside the darkness.
Arata's body froze.
Because that presence felt familiar.
Very familiar.
Like something ancient…
Something that had been watching him for a very long time.
The voice spoke again.
"…so this is the boy."
Lyra whispered in shock.
"It… it knows you."
Arata slowly clenched his fist.
The golden mark on his palm began to glow.
Inside his mind—
The Ancient Entity's voice whispered.
*Be careful…*
*That thing… is not a monster.*
The eye inside the rift narrowed.
And the creature laughed.
"…I finally found you."
⚡ To be continued…