Midnight Vendetta

Chapter 1:Bad Dream

Darkness...

Where am I? It's too dark here! I see a spark of light in the distance and run toward it.

As I get closer, I see a man sitting atop a mountain of corpses. I can't see his face until he turns to me and says, "Save me," with tears streaming down his face. I can't imagine how I must look in that moment. I am too stunned to speak until...

"WAKE UP, KANASHI!!"

Kanashi Pov...

I gradually open my eyes and see my mom standing by my bed, hands on her hips.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to stay up so late?" she scolds. "You're going to be late for school!"

"Sorry, Mom," I mumble, still groggy from sleep.

"Hurry up and get ready. Breakfast is on the table."

As I brush my teeth at the sink, I notice a picture of my mom and dad. Suddenly, I ask myself, "What kind of father was my dad? Did he have the same habits as me?" I have so many questions, but he died before I was born.

I head to the dining room and sit down at the table, where a simple breakfast awaits. My mom sits across from me, sipping her coffee.

"You know, Kanashi, you need to take better care of yourself," she says gently. "Your studies are important, but so is your health."

"I know, Mom," I reply, taking a bite of my toast. "I'll try to get to bed earlier from now on."

"Good. I worry about you, especially after everything that's happened."

After finishing breakfast, I leave my mom at home and head out. While crossing an intersection, I see Shigatoshi Ryūmi, a friend since middle school. I call him Toshi. We're seatmates in Toha High, and I could barely call him my partner in crime. We're often the instigators of fights and trouble at school, though our intentions are to protect and save victims of bullying. Toshi is a kendoka champion in our district and has his own dojo. Everyone in our area knows him.

"Toshi!" I call out, waving as I approach him.

"Hey, Kashi," he responds with a grin. "You look like you didn't get much sleep. Up late reading manga again?"

"You know me too well," I laugh. "I couldn't put down the latest volume of *Blade of the Immortal*."

"Ah, great choice. The artwork in that series is phenomenal. Makes me wish I could draw like that," Toshi says, adjusting his bag on his shoulder.

"We could create our own manga someday," I suggest. "Imagine the adventures we could come up with."

"Yeah, that would be cool," Toshi agrees. "You've always been good at coming up with clever plots and strategies."

"Thanks," I reply, feeling a sense of pride. "Maybe we could collaborate on a story together."

  **Toha High, Class 2-A**

Toshi and I sit next to the windows, where we can see the school field. Our sensei is discussing a mathematics lesson when there is a sudden knock on the classroom door. Sensei opens it and introduces a new classmate from overseas. She has long blonde hair and an attractive face. She looks like the daughter of a CEO of a beauty products company.

"Class, we have a new student joining us today. Please introduce yourself," Sensei says with a warm smile.

The new student steps forward, a confident aura surrounding her. "Hello, everyone. My name is Emily," she says in flawless Japanese, her voice carrying a hint of a foreign accent. "I'm excited to be here and to get to know all of you."