Kaito and Yume walked slowly through the crowded streets of Shinkase, surrounded by holographic advertising screens and neon signs that pulsed silently.
"Kaito, look at that store!" exclaimed Yume, pointing to a clothing shop with a large, glowing window display.
"How about we buy something? It'd be better not to stand out too much, don't you think?" she added with a half-smile.
Kaito paused for a moment, then stepped toward the crosswalk.
"You're right. Let's buy something," he replied, starting to cross the street.
As soon as their feet touched the asphalt, several floating, transparent blocks rose at the sides—like luminous barriers escorting them safely.
"Must be a pedestrian protection system," Kaito guessed, watching with curiosity before continuing.
When they reached the entrance of the store, the door slid open with a silent hiss.
"I guess all doors open like this here," commented Yume.
Her eyes lit up at the sight inside the store: dozens of elegant and futuristic outfits, each displayed in transparent cases that seemed to float in mid-air.
The store clerk approached them quickly.
She wore a slightly low-cut dress with padded shoulders, her hair neatly tied up, and her lips painted a vibrant red.
"Hello, you two. Can I help you?" she asked in a sweet voice, well-trained for selling.
Yume immediately took the lead.
"Yes, we're looking for something typical, not too expensive… but with quality," she said confidently.
Kaito watched her in silence, a little surprised.
(I almost forgot she was the one handling merchandise negotiations at the inn…) he thought, with a faint smile.
After a brief exchange, the clerk nodded.
"Perfect. I have just the thing for you."
She led them to one of the display cases.
"Item sixteen-B, male. Item eighteen-A, female."
On the pedestal, metallic tentacles emerged silently, grabbing the two outfits with precision.
"Go ahead and try them on," she said, pointing to two doors nearby.
Kaito and Yume followed her instructions. The inside of the fitting room was strangely… normal.
(Considering everything I've seen since we arrived, this normality is a bit disappointing,) the boy thought.
Then suddenly, the metallic tentacles reappeared inside the booth.
"What the…?!" he exclaimed, caught off guard as he was dressed in seconds without even a chance to resist.
"If you're done, you can come out!" the clerk called.
The fitting room doors opened.
Kaito wore a black jacket with a high collar, side buttoning, and minimalist lines.
Yume had on black thigh-high stockings and a soft, light brown wool sweater long enough to look like a dress.
"Wow, you two look great… Wait…" The clerk turned to Kaito, surprised.
"Boy, didn't you change your pants?"
"I kept these. I prefer them," he replied calmly.
Yume looked at him sideways. It didn't take long to figure out why: he didn't want to reveal the blades hidden in the inner lining.
She lowered her gaze slightly, smiling.
(Always alert… and always ready.)
"All right…" the clerk said uncertainly.
Five minutes later, Kaito and Yume exited the store.
"Well then, let's find a place to stay," said the boy.
"Yes, let's go," Yume replied, walking beside him.
Meanwhile, in one of the darkest alleys of Shinkase, something unusual was happening.
The place lacked lighting, reeked of foul odors, and was cluttered with trash bins on either side. The distant hum of neon signs didn't seem to reach that forgotten corner of the city.
A group of boys—clearly members of a local gang—had surrounded a girl. One of them stepped forward, frowning.
"What did you say, brat?" he growled, reaching into his pocket threateningly.
The girl stared him down, unflinching. She had long, bright red hair tied into two pigtails falling over her shoulders, and amber eyes, as glossy as dark glass.
She wore a sleeveless, high-neck orange top, a blue skirt that stopped above her knees, tight black stockings, and shoes matching the skirt.
"I said get lost," she declared, arms crossed and expression brimming with superiority.
For a moment, silence filled the alley. None of them noticed, but the girl's shadow—dimly cast by the flickering light of a distant sign—seemed to twitch… as if something inside it were slowly awakening.
"How dare you?! I'll teach you to respect your elders!" the man barked, raising his fist.
He was mere inches from hitting her when something whizzed past his face.
A sharp sound.
A metallic snap.
The girl blinked, confused. The thug froze, eyes wide. Behind them, embedded in the wall, was a blade nearly fifty centimeters long.
An unnatural silence fell over the group.
"Well? Are you done?" a voice asked.
They all turned to the mouth of the alley.
Two figures stood there, motionless in the shadows.
One was accompanied by a small winged spirit, glowing like a firefly.
The other held a second blade.
"Who the hell are you?" growled the gang leader, still shaken by the blade that had just missed him.
"That doesn't matter. What does matter… is what you're doing to that girl," Kaito said coldly.
"What's it to you?" the man snapped, trying to hide the tremor in his voice.
(Who the hell is this guy…? Why can't I stop shaking…?) he wondered, a chill running down his spine.
"Let her go," Kaito said, his voice laced with menace.
"Don't you dare talk to us like that!" the leader shouted, glancing at his men. "Get him!"
"Yeah!!" they yelled in unison, charging toward him.
Kaito turned slightly to his companion. "Yume, I'll leave a few to you," he said calmly.
One of the thugs struck first, but his punch was effortlessly caught in Kaito's open palm. The attacker went pale.
"That's it?" the boy murmured.
With a sharp, precise blow from his blade, he hurled the man into a metal bin. The impact was so strong that the structure bent.
The others froze, stunned, then Kaito vanished from their sight.
"W-where'd he go?!" one of them screamed.
"Form a circle, quick!" ordered another.
They positioned themselves back-to-back, scanning every corner of the alley.
A second later, Kaito reappeared in the center of the formation.
"He's here!!" they shouted.
With a sharp glare, Kaito leapt upward, spun, and delivered a wide slash with his blade, knocking the entire group flying.
Bodies hit the alley walls with sickening thuds.
The leader stood paralyzed, unable to believe what he'd just witnessed.
"N-no way… who is this guy…?" he stammered.
Kaito's eyes slowly fixed on him—the last one still standing.
"N-no, no!" the man screamed, turning and running away.
Kaito watched him for a moment, then looked away.
(I'm safe…) the man thought, a hysterical grin on his face.
But a moment later, a female figure appeared before him. A brutal kick struck him full in the face, sending him crashing to the ground, unconscious.
"All done," Yume said, joining Kaito.
"Nice work," he replied with a half-smile.
At that moment, though no one could have known it yet, Kaito and Yume's arrival in Shinkase was already starting to leave a mark.