Kairo sat on a wooden bench, staring at the bright sky above Reikosha Academy. "I wonder where he is now… since he killed himself with his own two fingers," he muttered. The memory of Goro pointing his hollow eyes and those two fingers at Kairo flashed again
Flsk!
and Kairo clenched his fists slightly. He raised his hand toward the sun, letting the morning light pass through his fingers. "I wonder… how can people be so cruel," he whispered, a pang of loneliness in his chest.
Far away, in the quiet village of Rivenshade, an old man named Griffin Larbhoar walked through the empty streets under the moonlight. His long coat flapped slightly as he adjusted his hat, pen and notebook in hand. "I know the people in this village have many rumors… ever since that boy died," Griffin muttered, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow. The night was too silent. Griffin had spent hours investigating the mysterious death of the boy, following leads that went nowhere, until finally, something caught his eye.
On top of a nearby house stood a lone warrior, the moonlight glinting off the symbol on his uniform: SOLARIS VANGUARD. They were the most dangerous squad in Rivenshade fast as light, deadly, and merciless. Their history dated back to the war of 1809, when Rivenshade fought Thornvale, leaving destruction in their wake. "Here you are…" a chilling voice whispered from above.
A blade pressed lightly against Griffin's neck, and a masked figure with a permanent, eerie smile looked down at him. "You should know who I am. You should've left already," the warrior said. Griffin didn't panic. He kicked backward, forcing the masked figure to stagger, then drew his two Flintlock pistols and fired. The bullets exploded through the air but the warrior vanished before they could hit. Griffin sensed movement behind him, spun around, and to his surprise, the figure lay dead at his feet. He straightened his coat, muttering, "Wasting my time. Fast, but not faster than my pistol."
Griffin Larbhoar had no energy powers, no supernatural abilities. What he had was intelligence, experience, and weapons that could pierce any shield. His Flintlocks were ancient, deadly, and almost impossible to escape. The bullets could track an opponent, pass through defenses, and strike with precision. Against the most powerful warriors, they were not infallible but for most, they were lethal.
Morning came to Reikosha Academy, and the classroom door flung open. Kyle entered lazily, only to have a chair thrown at him from across the room. "WHAT THE—?!" he shouted, punching the chair away. "What the hell was that for?!" Tyouro leaned back, grinning. "Relax. Just having fun with my bro." "Fun?! That actually hurt!" Kyle snapped. "A real warrior doesn't care about pain," Tyouro said confidently, smirking as Kyle glared.
Before the argument could escalate, Sensei Shougo entered, clapping his hands loudly. "Good morning, students. Quiet down." The class slowly settled as Shougo smiled. "Today is a special day." He pointed toward the back of the room. "It's Kimimaru's birthday!" The students turned to him, some teasing, some smiling. Kimimaru sat calmly, nonchalant as ever. The class began singing, and Kairo joined Tyouro's loud, exaggerated chorus, unable to stop himself from laughing.
Yura leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "Immature teacher… and immature students," she muttered under her breath. The bell rang. Class was over. Tyouro slapped Kairo on the shoulder, grinning. "Wanna go somewhere? You know… there are plenty of girls around." Before Kairo could answer, Yura kicked Tyouro in the leg. "Shut your mouth. You're being a pervert." Tyouro laughed awkwardly. "Hehehe… my bad."
The four friends left the academy together, teasing each other and laughing as the sun climbed higher. For a moment, the world seemed light, carefree, and normal. But far away, shadows were stirring, and a storm was slowly approaching one that would challenge everything Kairo and his friends thought they knew.