The Morning After: Eiji's Apartment
Eiji Kuroryuu stirred from an uneasy sleep, his breath ragged, his chest rising and falling like he had been running in his dreams. The ceiling fan spun above him, making soft clicks, and the filtered morning light cut across his room in pale gold lines. For a moment, he stared at the ceiling.
His whole body felt... wrong.
No, not wrong. Different.
He groaned as he pushed himself out of bed, legs trembling slightly. Every joint felt tight, every movement sluggish, like he was moving underwater. When he shuffled toward the bathroom and flipped on the light, the sight that greeted him in the mirror nearly knocked the sleep out of his system.
Faint, metallic black lines shimmered just beneath his skin, curving like ancient tattoos across his chest, down his arms, and up the sides of his neck. They weren't visible unless the light hit just right—but they were there.
They looked like dragon-scale patterns. And they pulsed.
"Was it worth it...?" he muttered, voice cracked with fatigue and self-doubt.
Buzz.
His phone lit up—a message from Kana.
Kana:He's awake. The curse is gone. Thank you... truly.
A flicker of something real lit in Eiji's heart. Gratitude. Relief. Maybe even pride. He allowed himself a small, genuine smile.
But then—
"One step closer, child of the abyss..."
The voice coiled in his mind, slithering like smoke. Deep. Timeless. Cruel.
The dragon was still inside him. Watching. Waiting.
———
At School
Whispers
When Eiji stepped into the school courtyard, the air shifted. Conversations hushed. Heads turned. Even the birds on the fence posts seemed to pause mid-song.
"Yo... is that Kuroryuu?" "What happened to his face? He looks like he didn't sleep for a week." "No, it's more than that. Didn't you feel that chill when he passed by?"
He strolled toward class, ignoring the whispers. Or at least trying to.
Inside the classroom, Kana sat quietly at her desk. Her back was straight, her eyes downcast, but she kept glancing at him.
And each time, it was like she didn't know whether to flinch... or bow.
Although Seraphina had erased her memories, something within her remained. The bond she had with Eiji defied logic. It wasn't just magic—it was soul-deep.
He passed by his desk and sat down without a word.
"Dude," Hiro leaned over, frowning. You look like crap. Are you sick or something?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Hiro laughed awkwardly. "Try me."
Eiji just gave a tired smile.
The teacher walked in before the conversation could continue. But the stares didn't stop.
Eiji wasn't the same. And everyone felt it.
———
At the Research Club Room
The door creaked open slowly.
Eiji stepped into the Research Club room, and the familiar scent of aged books and incense hit him immediately. Seraphina stood by the window, arms crossed, her crimson hair glowing in the lazy afternoon light.
"You made your first pact," she said, not even turning around. "How does it feel... carrying someone's hope—and fear?"
He sighed and leaned back against a table. "Heavy."
She turned now, eyes locking with his. Her gaze was sharp, unblinking but not unkind.
"Good. It should be."
She approached slowly, her voice quieter.
"You've stepped into something much larger than you understand, Eiji. Now that your soul has tasted a bond, it will never be the same."
"You sound like I should regret it."
"Not regret. Caution."
She brushed past him, stopping at the book-laden desk. She placed her fingers over an old, rune-covered volume and spoke with that uncanny grace she always carried:
"Every pact carries a cost. Power feeds on desire. And desire... can rot the soul."
Eiji frowned. "You think I'll lose control."
"No," she said. "I think you'll be tempted to. There's a difference."
A long pause.
Then she dropped the hammer.
"The curse you broke? It wasn't just old magic. It was placed—intentionally. Carefully. And now... someone out there knows you undid it."
Eiji's throat tightened.
"So what now?"
"Now," Seraphina whispered, "they come for you."
———
Alley Behind the School
The sky was beginning to dim, a muted orange casting long shadows on the streets as Eiji walked home. He turned into the alley he always used—a shortcut. Familiar.
Too familiar.
He took two steps in before he froze.
Something was wrong.
The air was thick. Too still.
Then—
"You possess an Espiria Gear... how fortunate," a low voice echoed.
A cloaked figure stepped from the shadows. Symbols glowed faintly across his hood and arms—cursed sigils.
"Today," he hissed, "I get a gift: your gear and your soul."
Chains of black lightning shot from his sleeves.
Eiji ducked instinctively, but one chain grazed his shoulder. The pain was immediate. Burning. Poisoned.
"What the hell!?"
"Abyssal Cub," the figure laughed. "You should have stayed hidden."
Eiji's Suspiria Gear reacted on instinct. The Abyssal Gauntlet roared to life, coiling over his arm in dark obsidian, pulsing with crimson veins.
"Kana..." he whispered.
The contract mark on his chest glowed bright and warm. Mana surged into him, stabilizing his breath and clearing his mind.
The attacker hissed. "You've made your first bond. Cute. Let's see how far it gets you."
The fight was brutal. The enemy moved like a phantom, his chains dancing like vipers. Each strike carried a different curse: pain, fear, weakness.
Eiji struggled at first, barely holding ground. But he adapted quickly. His gauntlet devoured a cursed chain and redirected its energy into a shockwave punch, blasting the attacker into a wall.
"Still standing...? Interesting."
The attacker smirked, blood dripping from his lip.
"But this was just a test."
He dissolved into cursed ash, laughter echoing.
"You've taken the first bite; The rest will come for the whole soul."
Eiji stood panting, bruised, and scorched.
A silver-haired girl in a noble uniform watched from the nearby shadows with gleaming violet eyes.
"Interesting," she whispered. "That power... I've seen it before."
———
At Rooftop View
The rooftops were silent.
Seraphina stood with her arms folded, her gaze fixed on the scorched alley below.
Beside her stood a girl with short black hair, wearing the same uniform as Seraphina. Her eyes glowed faintly.
"So," the other girl said, "he's why you went out of your way to ask me for a favor?"
"I didn't go out of my way," Seraphina said flatly.
"You never ask me for anything, Sera. Don't lie to me."
The two stood in silence. The girl tilted her head, watching Eiji limp out of the alley.
"You think he's worth it?"
Seraphina's eyes didn't blink.
"I think... I haven't seen anything yet."
She turned.
"Don't die, Eiji. Not before I see what you really could do."
The wind blew gently. The city carried on. But in that moment, the world shifted.
And the Abyss opened just a little wider.
—End of Chapter 10—