Far away, across the city, Rei was walking home alone from the grocery store, a plastic bag in one hand, humming to himself under the pale evening sky.
He didn't see the shadow trailing him on the rooftops.
He didn't feel the heavy pressure descending slowly from the heavens.
But Tenma did.
He appeared midair above Rei, floating silently, cloak whipping in the wind.
From the sky, a deep, ominous voice boomed—
"Deliver me the vessel."
Tenma raised his hand, a shimmering barrier spreading around Rei like a bubble.
"You're early, Supreme Lord. He doesn't belong to you yet."
The clouds darkened. Thunder cracked.
But Tenma's eyes narrowed.
"Ash… get ready. The gods have started to move."
The sun had barely risen. A golden hue spilled through the windows of the small shared home Ash and Rei lived in.
Rei stood in the kitchen, stirring tea, when he felt it again.
That gaze.
Turning slightly, he saw Ash leaning quietly against the doorway, watching him. Not with his usual sharp, cocky grin. But something else.
Softer. Concerned. Guarded.
"You're staring again, Ash."
Ash blinked, caught off guard. Then forced a small smile.
"You're imagining things."
"You've been acting weird all week."
Rei poured the tea and turned around. "Walking me to school. Coming home exactly when I do. Asking where I'm going, even if it's just the bathroom."
Ash scratched the back of his head. "What, can't I care?"
"You always cared. But now..." Rei stepped closer. "You're acting like you'll lose me."
That hit too close.
Ash froze.
Rei's eyes narrowed slightly, trying to read him. "What's going on?"
Ash lowered his head.
He wanted to lie. To say nothing was wrong.
But Tenma's words rang in his mind—"The Supreme Lord wants Rei as a vessel."
He couldn't tell Rei. Not yet.
So instead, he muttered,
"Just… stay close to me, okay?"
Rei frowned. "Ash—"
"Promise me."
Rei hesitated. Then nodded slowly.
"Fine. I'll stay close. But you better tell me the truth eventually."
Ash turned away.
"I hope I won't have to."
The academy courtyard was quiet after training. The breeze swayed the trees gently as Rei stood by the fountain, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Rei!"
Misaki's voice echoed, soft but urgent. She ran toward him, her short hair bouncing with each step.
Rei turned. "Misaki? Something wrong?"
She stopped a few steps away, hesitating before speaking.
"I… I wanted to talk. Just the two of us."
Before Rei could answer, a voice interrupted like a sudden gust of wind.
"He's busy."
Ash walked up, hands in his pockets, eyes sharp.
Misaki narrowed her eyes. "I wasn't talking to you, Ash. Get away."
Ash stepped in between them, standing just a bit too close to Rei.
"No."
Misaki's brow twitched. "You really think you can control him?"
"I'm not controlling anyone. I'm protecting him."
Without warning, Misaki grabbed Rei's right hand.
Ash's eyes widened—and he grabbed Rei's left.
"Rei's not a damn doll!" Misaki shouted, tugging him back.
"Then stop treating him like a prize!" Ash growled, pulling harder.
Rei, caught between them, shouted, "Guys! Seriously—what are you two doing!?"
Both paused. The tension in the air was almost visible.
Rei pulled both hands away, stepping back from them.
"I'm not a rope in some tug-of-war. What's gotten into you two?"
Misaki bit her lip and looked away. Ash kept his gaze on Rei, jaw clenched.
"We'll talk later," Rei said calmly. "When emotions aren't flying everywhere."
He turned and walked away.
Behind him, neither Ash nor Misaki moved. But their thoughts were anything but still.
The moon hung quietly in the night sky, silver clouds drifting slowly. The academy's rooftop was silent, except for the sound of a soft breeze and the quiet footsteps of someone approaching.
Rei stood at the edge, hands resting on the railing, looking out over the city lights. His thoughts were scattered—Ash's strange behavior, Tenma's appearance, and Misaki's sudden outburst.
Behind him, a familiar voice broke the silence.
"You always come up here when something's bothering you."
Rei turned slightly. "Misaki…"
She walked over, slower than usual, eyes softer. She didn't smile, but she didn't look angry either.
"Sorry," she said, stopping beside him. "About earlier. That wasn't me. I just… I felt like I was losing you."
Rei looked back toward the sky. "You're not. But everything's changing so fast, I'm still trying to understand it all."
They stood in silence for a moment.
"Ash is acting strange," Misaki said. "Clinging to you like he's scared you'll vanish."
"Maybe he knows something we don't." Rei's voice was quiet. "Tenma said something… something about the Supreme Lord choosing me."
Misaki's eyes widened. "What does that mean?"
Rei shook his head. "I don't know. But it's serious. And maybe Ash is trying to protect me in his own way."
Misaki stepped closer. "And what about me, Rei? Can I protect you too?"
Rei looked at her. Her eyes reflected both strength and vulnerability.
He smiled gently. "You already are, Misaki. Just by being here."
She exhaled, relieved. "Good. Because I'm not stepping back. Not for Ash, not for anyone. If you're walking into something dangerous, I'll walk beside you."
Rei reached out, gently taking her hand.
"Then let's face it together."
Above them, the stars shimmered—unmoving, eternal. Just like the promise between them.
The night wind grew stronger, brushing Misaki's hair across her face. She didn't flinch. Her eyes, fixed on Rei, burned with quiet determination.
"I promise…" she said firmly, voice steady despite the weight of her words. "I'll protect that lord. Even if it costs me everything."
Rei's eyes widened slightly. He could see it—she wasn't just talking about the Supreme Lord… she was talking about him.
Without a word, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
It was a gentle, protective hug—but one that carried the weight of emotion both had been hiding for too long.
"Then I'll protect you," Rei whispered, voice close to her ear. "No matter what happens, I'll be your shield."
Misaki gripped the back of his coat tightly, closing her eyes.
There were no grand declarations, no fancy words—just two hearts promising something deeper than either of them fully understood.
Above them, the moon continued to watch, silent and eternal.
Ash sat in his dimly lit room, eyes vacant, hands trembling slightly. The air felt thick, like something was pressing against his chest. He hadn't spoken to anyone since Tenma's last visit. The words still echoed in his mind like a curse.
Knock knock.
The door opened before he could respond.
Tenma stepped inside, his presence still godly, yet strangely… human. No divine glow. No aura of untouchable power. Just a man, wearing the face of a god who had seen too much.
Ash stood instinctively, voice flat. "What now?"
Tenma's gaze was unreadable. "I'm giving up that title… for now," he said, his tone quiet but firm. "And because I came to give you a choice."
Ash blinked. "Choice?"
Tenma walked past him and turned toward the window, the city lights dancing like stars in his reflection. He spoke without turning. "The Supreme Lord has chosen Rei to become his vessel. You can't stop it… but you can still shape what happens next."
Ash's breath caught. His fists clenched.
"What do you mean…?" he asked, a faint tremble in his voice.
Tenma turned to face him fully now. "I'll give you some time," he said. "A few days. Do anything you want. Prepare. Choose what you're willing to sacrifice. But once that time ends… the path will be set."
Ash lowered his head. "And after that…?"
Tenma's expression shifted—eyes dark, like a sky before a storm. "Then we'll see if you're ready to face the will of gods… or be crushed by it."
The room grew silent, as if even the air had frozen.
Tenma didn't wait for an answer. He stepped out, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
Ash stood alone.
Unmoving.
The burden of fate—and friendship—weighing heavier than ever before.
In the realm above all realms, where no shadow existed and even stars bowed in silence, the gods stood before the Supreme Lord.
One stepped forward, his golden eyes glowing beneath a crown of light.
"My Lord," he said with solemn conviction, "we are going."
The Supreme Lord stirred in his throne of eternity. "To where?"
"To the mortal plane," the god answered. "They are coming for Rei."
Another god appeared beside him, her robes flowing like rivers of light. "The balance is trembling. If we wait too long, the vessel may reject the will."
The Supreme Lord's voice echoed like thunder across the divine halls. "Then go."
"Yes, Supreme Lord."
The gods turned, their forms beginning to dissolve into rays of light and divine flame.
But before they left, the Supreme Lord spoke again—his voice calm, yet vast and final.
"Do not fail. If Rei is not awakened… the world will fracture."
The gods vanished, cutting through dimensions as they descended toward the mortal world.
Far below, unaware of the storm brewing above, Rei stood under the sky—his fate already set into motion.
And in the darkness, Tenma watched everything unfold, a knowing look in his eyes.