Demon Eyes

Chapter 1: Noreyu, Demon Eye

Beneath the world of humans lies the realm of demons.

A vast, empty land inhabited by demons who watch over humanity. Occasionally, a demon's gaze falls on noteworthy humans, ones with the potential to change the world, for the better or the worse. These humans are granted a piece of the demon's powers, a piece of their energy.

Humans who learn to take hold of this power can close their human eye and open a Demon Eye, granting them control over one of the many natural types of energy in the world.

Rarely, two or more demons may lay their gaze on the same human, but never before has a human been watched by more than three demons at once.

And yet, in a small, coastal town, a young boy has a Demon Eye with the power to control all twelve kinds of energy at the same time. That boy's name is Noreyu.

It's a sunny spring day in the peaceful town of Kawazumi. A young boy is making his way up a stairway that leads up the side of a small hill. A breeze blows a leaf into his light brown hair.

As he walks, a bird perches in a tree. A bee flies past the boy and lands in a flower, buzzing happily. A branch falls off a tree and lands in a small pile of leaves. The bird turns towards the boy and chirps playfully. He smiles and continues on.

A sudden rustling noise in a large bush on the side of the path startles the boy, but he chooses to ignore it and continues on his path.

But just as he walks past the bush, a man jumps out of the leaves. His tanned face is broken up by a large scar cutting through his missing right eye. Without hesitation, he grabs the boy's arms from behind and holds a knife to his throat. 

Another man appears further up the stairs to block the path forward. "Hand over your cash, kid!" he yells. The boy slowly reaches for his pocket as the robber behind him laughs. "We've got an easy catch here, Zankoku!" he says to the other man.

However, the boy is completely unfazed as he locks eyes with Zankoku, the robber in front of him. He remains completely calm as his hand continues downwards. A drop of sweat runs down Zankoku's face. "Hurry it up!" the man behind him says, his voice rough and sharp. "I don't have all day!"

Ignoring the thug's threats, the boy closes his right eye as he still stares at Zankoku in front of him. The robber's hand trembles. He starts to sense something.

Black markings form around the boy's eye. Two wings pointing upwards on each side, one short spike in the same direction, and one long spike pointing down.

A bright teal stream of energy emerges from the boy's eye as it starts to open again. His pupil shifts in colour to match that of the energy. The light from the eye makes the tips of the boy's hair glow in the same colour, too. Finally, Zankoku realizes what is happening.

"Goro!" he shouts to his partner. "Get away!"

A gust of wind appears around the boy. He moves his hand through the wind and pushes it around his body, forming a small tornado-shaped gust. Goro's knife is knocked away from the boy's throat. Unable to withstand the wind, he falls down the stairs, tumbling to the ground.

Before he can even land, the boy leaps down and throws his fist into Goro's ground-turned stomach, delivering an uppercut that launches the helpless thug high into the air.

In a flash, the boy leaps up several metres to deliver another blow that sends Goro flying at high speed above the trees. He crashes through the window of a nearby high-rise building in the modern district, much to the confusion of an innocent family trying to enjoy dinner.

"Who... Who the hell are you?" Zankoku stammers, slowly backing away.
The boy closes his eye and the black markings disappear. His pupil reverts to his usual cyan eye colour as he opens his eye again.
"My name's Noreyu!" he says, grinning at the terrified man. "And I love to beat up criminals like you."
"You're-" Zankoku looks at Noreyu, his expression distorted by fear. "I know your face now! Don't think I'll forget this!"
Without another word, he runs into the bushes as Noreyu continues on his way. He picks the leaf out of his hair with a smile. "What a nice day."