Chapter 54: Night of Blood
The insistent buzz of his phone against the silk pillow was a discordant note in the quiet luxury of Haruto’s bedroom. He stirred, annoyance flickering through his semi-conscious mind. Who dared disturb his sacred sleep? Especially tonight.
His arm tightened almost imperceptibly around Satsuki, her soft breath a gentle rhythm against his chest. She was utterly captivating in her slumber, a picture of serene beauty, her dark hair fanned out against the pristine white sheets.
With a groan that he carefully suppressed, Haruto reached for his phone, squinting at the glowing screen. A message. From Jun. At this hour? His brow furrowed. "Help. At my place. They’re... they’re real. It’s a girl, white hair, super powers, they’re fighting, I don’t know what to do, please help!"
Haruto scoffed silently. That guy always with his overactive imagination, fueled by too much anime. He probably dreamt up some fantastical scenario and, in his panic, mistook it for reality. A prank, most likely. Or perhaps he’d just had a vivid nightmare. Haruto was about to dismiss it, to silence the phone and drift back into the comforting warmth of Satsuki’s embrace.
But then, a prickle of unease, a cold sensation like a spider crawling up his spine, made him pause. It was a sensation he rarely felt, a flicker of intuition that had saved him more times than he cared to admit. A *bad feeling*. It wasn’t the urgency of Jun’s words, but the raw, unadulterated fear he could almost *feel* emanating from the message itself. There was no theatrical flair, no exaggerated drama. Just pure, unadulterated panic.
Very gently, Haruto eased himself away from Satsuki, his movements practiced and silent. He paused for a moment, making sure her breathing remained even, her expression peaceful. Her beauty, even in sleep, was breathtaking, almost hypnotic. He lingered, a fleeting thought of simply ignoring Jun and returning to his peaceful night. But the premonition, that unsettling chill, persisted. With a soft sigh, he slipped out of the bed, careful not to disturb her, and moved silently towards his window.
The night was painted in dim lights and stretching shadows. Somewhere in the distance, the faint flicker of a skirmish pulsed against the quiet hum of the city—barely noticeable, but there. Jun’s place was far from the chaos, tucked away in a quieter, more ordinary part of town.
He dressed quickly, then summoned a sword, then jump on the blade, controlling it to fly through the night sky, gliding from building to building, a silent, dark silhouette against the backdrop of the slumbering town.
As he drew closer to Jun’s neighborhood, the faint glow intensified, accompanied by muted thuds and cracks that spoke of struggle. He landed silently on a tall apartment building opposite Jun’s, his sharp gaze immediately pinpointing the chaotic scene unfolding in his friend’s room.
The sight that greeted him made his blood run cold. Jun’s room was a wreck, debris everywhere. And there, amidst the ruin, was a girl with flowing white hair, her form shimmering faintly with light, clearly battered and bleeding. Three dark, shadowy figures, their power palpable even from this distance, were relentlessly assaulting her. And Jun, huddled in a corner, his face a mask of terror, was suddenly enveloped with the girl in a strange, shimmering green dome. A "dimensional shield".
Haruto’s eyes widened. This was no prank. This was real. And it was far worse than he could have imagined.