Kaito couldn't stop smiling.
He stood in the dojo after class, swinging his arms back and forth while waiting.
Everyone else had already left.
Kenji stopped at the door and looked back one last time.
"You're really staying?"
"Yep."
"You're in trouble."
"Nope."
"You're definitely in trouble."
Kaito grinned.
"I get special training."
Kenji snorted.
"That means you did something wrong."
"That means I did something right."
Kenji shook his head.
"…Don't die."
"I won't."
"You might."
"I won't."
Kenji pointed at Tanaka, who was standing near the wall with his arms crossed.
"Look at his face. That's the face people make before someone dies."
Kaito laughed.
"You're jealous."
Kenji opened his mouth, then stopped.
"…Yeah. A little."
He turned and left.
The door slid shut.
Silence filled the dojo.
Kaito stretched his arms.
"So… what are we doing?"
Tanaka didn't answer right away.
He walked slowly to the center of the mat.
"Stand there."
Kaito stepped forward.
"Like this?"
"Yes."
Tanaka stopped in front of him.
For a moment, he just looked at him.
Not like a teacher.
Not like before.
Like he was looking at something he didn't understand.
"…From now on," Tanaka said, "you train differently."
Kaito tilted his head.
"…Different how?"
Tanaka raised his hand.
"Punch."
Kaito blinked.
"That's it?"
"Punch."
Kaito shrugged.
"Okay."
He raised his fist.
Stepped forward.
Punch.
Tanaka blocked easily.
"Again."
Punch.
Block.
"Again."
Punch.
Block.
This went on for a while.
Same thing.
Over and over.
Kaito frowned.
"…Sensei, this is normal training."
Tanaka shook his head.
"No."
He grabbed Kaito's wrist suddenly.
"Focus."
"…On what?"
Tanaka tightened his grip.
"On what you feel."
Kaito blinked.
"…Feel what?"
"That thing."
Kaito froze.
The vibration.
That strange hum in his chest.
He swallowed.
"…I don't know what you mean."
"Yes, you do."
Tanaka stepped closer.
His voice dropped.
"When you move… something moves with you."
Kaito's heart started beating faster.
"…I thought I was imagining that."
"You weren't."
Silence.
Kaito stared at him.
"…What is it?"
Tanaka didn't answer right away.
Instead, he let go of his wrist and stepped back.
"Punch again."
Kaito raised his fist.
He hesitated.
"…Focus, right?"
"Yes."
Kaito took a breath.
Closed his eyes for a second.
Then moved.
Punch.
The moment his arm moved...
He felt it.
That vibration.
Stronger than before.
Like something flowed from his chest to his arm.
His fist shot forward faster than he expected.
THUD.
Tanaka blocked.
But his arm moved back slightly.
His eyes widened.
"…Again."
Kaito punched again.
This time the feeling came faster.
Easier.
Like his body knew what to do.
THUD.
Tanaka slid half a step back.
Silence filled the dojo.
Kaito stared at his own hand.
"…What was that?"
Tanaka looked at him carefully.
"…You feel it now."
"…Yeah."
Kaito swallowed.
"…Sensei… what is that?"
Tanaka closed his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them again, his expression was serious.
"…Power."
Kaito blinked.
"…That's it?"
Tanaka shook his head.
"No."
He crossed his arms.
"It's something most people never feel."
Kaito frowned.
"…Kenji doesn't feel it?"
"No."
"The other students?"
"No."
"…You do."
Tanaka didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Kaito's heart started racing.
"…So I'm special?"
Tanaka's eyes narrowed.
"…No."
Kaito froze.
"…Huh?"
Tanaka stepped closer.
"You're late."
Silence.
"…Late?" Kaito asked.
Tanaka nodded.
"You should have felt it years ago."
Kaito stared at him.
"…What?"
Tanaka turned away.
"…Which means something stopped it."
Kaito didn't understand.
But his chest felt heavy again.
"…Sensei… what is going on?"
Tanaka didn't answer.
Instead, he walked toward the door.
"Training is over for today."
Kaito blinked.
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"But we just started."
"We'll continue tomorrow."
"…Sensei."
Tanaka stopped.
But didn't turn around.
"…Don't train alone tonight."
Kaito frowned.
"You said that yesterday."
"I mean it."
"…Why?"
Tanaka was silent for a long moment.
Then he spoke quietly.
"…Because you're not the only one who can feel it."
Cold air ran down Kaito's spine.
"…What?"
Tanaka opened the door.
"Go home."
Kaito stood there for a second.
Then grabbed his bag slowly.
His hands felt shaky.
Not from fear.
From that same vibration.
Stronger now.
He walked toward the exit.
Right before he left, Tanaka spoke again.
"…Kaito."
He turned.
"Yes?"
Tanaka looked at him.
Long.
Careful.
"…If anything strange happens tonight… don't fight it."
Kaito blinked.
"…What does that mean?"
Tanaka didn't answer.
Outside the dojo, the sky was already dark.
Far above the city, the man in the dark coat stood on the edge of a tall building.
The device in his hand glowed bright red.
Several signals were moving now.
Not one.
Many.
"…They felt it," he muttered.
He smiled slightly.
"…Too late to hide now."
He looked toward the street below.
"…Let's see what you do, Arata."
The screen flashed again.
Energy levels rising.
Faster.
And faster.