Soshiki Academy stood tucked away at the foot of the imposing Mount Uzumaki, a few miles beyond the edge of Tokyo's urban sprawl. At first glance, the institution resembled a sprawling, centuries-old historical site—serene, traditional, and unassuming.
But appearances were deceiving.
The academy's grounds, sprawling across nearly forty square kilometers of mountainous terrain, were strictly off-limits to the general public. Only members of the Soshiki were permitted to enter. The area was heavily patrolled by an elite security force informally known as the Men in Black—a title that, while informal, carried weight among those in the know.
More than mere guards, the academy's borders were shielded by twin Celestial Spirits—Azuma and Nishi—who flanked the eastern and western gates. Their combined power formed an impenetrable spiritual barrier, strong enough to withstand even the catastrophic eruption of Mount Uzumaki itself. To break through it would take more than just force. It would take something unnatural.
Founded centuries ago by the earliest Soshiki scholars, the academy had trained generations of Fighters and Healers, many of whom had gone on to achieve legendary status. Their names echoed in the histories of both the Soshiki and their eternal enemies, the Spectres.
But today marked a moment unlike any in the academy's long and storied past.
For the first time in recorded history, a human—a mere, powerless human—had crossed the threshold of the academy.
Akai Ren.
A red-haired teenager with no claim to either combat prowess or healing Jutsu, Ren had stepped into the world of the Soshiki armed with nothing but his curiosity and boundless energy.
"Waaahhh! This is an academy? For real? It looks like one of those ancient temples straight out of an anime!" Ren shouted, eyes wide as he took in the sweeping architecture of the outer buildings.
Beside him, Secretary Saiaka allowed herself a small smile. "This is where I leave you. I've already informed the Men in Black. One of them will escort you to the principal. Just a heads-up, when you enter the barrier, there'll be a slight tremor. Nothing dangerous. It's just the system reacting to a mere-human… or a Halfie, crossing the threshold."
"Mere-human again…" Ren muttered under his breath. "And what's a Halfie, anyway? Another label?" He glanced at her. "Wait, you're not coming in with me? And those Men in Black… they're the guards, right? They look awesome. This place is seriously next-level!"
"They're alright." Saiaka replied coolly. Her phone buzzed, and her expression soured. "Well, duty calls. I've got to head back."
Ren gave her a polite bow. "Thank you, Secretary Saiaka. Really."
"Don't mention it," she said, waving him off. "Oh, and don't be shy about asking the principal questions. Anything you need to know, just ask. He might look intimidating with those scars, but he's more bark than bite. Though I must warn you—he is annoying."
She gave him a final nod, then vanished with the convertible.
Ren blinked. "That was… she's a racer alright."
He straightened up, brushed imaginary dust off his shoulders, and took a deep breath.
"Well, alright. Let's do this."
**
"Did you hear about the new kid?"
"Yeah. So what?"
Sakura didn't even look up from her desk. "You're not surprised? He's human. Like, actually human. Not even a Halfie like Yamachin."
"And so are we, dumbass. Just because we've got this cursed Soshiki blood doesn't mean we're special."
"Damn, you're dark."
"That I am." She flicked her pen. "And why should I be surprised? About time this school shook things up. Anyway, where the hell is Yamada? He was here a second ago before that tremor…"
Before her question could be answered, the classroom door slid open with a sharp snap.
"Everyone, gather up!" Barked the man at the front—Principal Minamoto. And beside him stood a red-haired boy: Ren.
The moment Ren stepped into the room, all eyes locked onto him. He blinked, meeting their stares like an awkward deer caught in a spotlight.
"Sakura, where's Yamada?" The principal asked.
She shrugged lazily. "Beats me. Ask your grandson here. I've been wondering where that loser ran off to too."
Principal Minamoto sighed and turned toward a boy leaning against the back wall—Ryosuke.
"I'm still not talking to you, Gramps." Ryosuke muttered, lips curled in a pout.
Minamoto pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. We'll start without him. As you've likely heard through the gossip vine, we have a new student joining us. A transfer from a regular high school. Introduce yourself."
Ren's heart thundered in his chest, a mixture of nerves and excitement. "Pleasure to meet you, I'm Akai Ren," he began, trying to sound confident. As he spoke, his eyes wandered across the room, studying his new classmates.
The first person to catch his eye was a girl with a sharp look—her hair, a striking cherry pink, flowing loosely past her shoulders. Her face was small and round, her lips and nose dainty. She wore a custom uniform with a pink collar rising up to her neck. Cute, Ren thought.
Then there was a guy a little shorter than him, a katana strapped to his side. His boy-band haircut and lip piercing gave off big-time fuckboy energy. Definitely tries too hard. Ren winced internally.
"So this is the big deal, huh?" Sakura voiced out, her voice sharp as a blade. "He doesn't look like much. Has he passed the test yet, Principal?"
The principal hesitated. "About that…"
"Not yet, huh?" Ryosuke chimed in with a grin. "Well then, maybe we should be the ones to test him out!"
In a flash, both Sakura and Ryosuke lunged forward.
"Wait, what the—?!" Ren barely dodged the initial attack. But before he could react again, the world tilted—and suddenly, all three of them were flat on the floor.
"What just happened?" Ren gasped.
Principal Minamoto stood, arms crossed, unimpressed. "That's enough. Don't trash the damn classroom."
He cleared his throat and continued, "Your homeroom teacher is on assignment abroad. She should be back within the week, give or take. In the meantime, I expect you to behave. Tomo-sensei will take over temporarily. He should be arriving shortly. That's B-E-H-A-V-E, got it?"
"Tch. Tomo-sensei sucks!" Sakura glowered, echoing Ryosuke's unenthusiastic scowl.
"Did I hear an objection?"
"Nothing!" They both snapped in unison.
**
Later, while waiting outside, Ren asked, "So… are we waiting for a ride or what?"
Sakura gave him a long, piercing look, eyes flicking from his sneakers to his mop of red hair. "Why the hell did V-sensei choose you? She even coated you with her Power Force. And now you've got her old dorm room. Why?"
"Wait. Coated me?" Ren blinked.
"You can't even see it?" She scoffed. "Can you even see the unseen?"
"If you have to ask," Ryosuke said, strolling up beside them, "then clearly he can't."
Ren stared between them, completely lost.
"A Power Force," Ryosuke explained, "is an inner energy every Soshiki has. The stronger the Soshiki, the more powerful the force. Only a rare few can project their Power Force onto someone else as a shield. V-sensei's one of them. Since you've got hers wrapped around you, you're pretty much invincible—at least against basic attacks. If someone wanted to kill you, well, that's a different story."
"So… I've been walking around with this invisible armor?"
"Yeah. And we were dumbasses for trying to test you. V-sensei probably would've felt it from wherever the hell she is. That woman… is terrifying."
"I-I didn't know."
"Of course you didn't," said a new voice behind him.
Ren jumped and turned. A tall figure with a relaxed expression walked up to them—sharp-eyed and casual.
"Did these two give you a hard time?" He asked, flicking Sakura on the head.
"Ow! Bastard. Where've you been?" Sakura rubbed her temple. "Tomo-sensei called. Said we're supposed to meet him in Asakusa. And this here's the infamous newbie. What's your name again?"
Ren bowed politely. "I'm Akai Ren. It's really great to meet you all. I—"
"Let's go." Sakura cut him off, flipping her hair as she strode away.
ON THEIR WAY TO ASAKUSA
"I apologize on their behalf. They're from the Big Four clans of Soshiki you see… so yeah, spoiled brats. Hence the attitude. But they're not so bad once you get to know them." Yamada uttered with a wry smile.
"Heh, they didn't really do anything bad. Just… wait, the Big Four?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Trust me, knowing them, they absolutely messed with you. Lucky for you, they're in another car." He chuckled. "Anyway, let me start with someone you already know. Our homeroom teacher. Technically."
"Oh. About that…"
**
"Huh? You haven't met her?" Yamada blinked.
"Not really. Secretary Saiaka's the one who brought me in. That person, uh, V-sensei, as you call her… just vanished. Haven't seen her since the shrine incident."
"Well, I see. That sounds about right." Yamada scratched his head. "She does that a lot. VIP, always got her fingers in a dozen pies. Still, she's technically our homeroom teacher. Comes from one hell of a lineage too—used to be one of the strongest clan in Soshiki."
"Sounds badass."
"Yeah. Shame they're all dead now."
"…Huh?"
"Dead."
"I heard you! I'm just… damn, okay."
"V-sensei's the last of her bloodline. The Deveraux clan. Not much is known—just that they were powerful as hell, and then poof. Wiped out. Politics in Soshiki are real good at sweeping shit under the rug, so don't expect answers. Just… take note of that."
I nodded slowly. "Noted."
"Next up, the Minamoto clan. The samurai of Soshiki."
"Ah, the Principal's family."
"Right. Principal Minamoto is the clan's head. Ryosuke's his grandson."
"Yeah, I figured."
"And Tomo-sensei is his son."
"Ryosuke's dad?"
"Nope. His uncle. Ryosuke's dad passed away."
"Oh… I see."
"Then you've got Sakura's clan—the Ikaris. Easily the most dangerous of the bunch. Ninja blood, the whole clan's full of them. Biggest in Soshiki. Most of their members are Higher-ups."
"Higher-ups?"
"Politicians. In Soshiki anyway."
"Got it."
"And Sakura's family leads the clan. Her dad's the head. Also… most of them are completely fucked-up, like in the head. Just saying."
"Pfft—ha! Sakura seemed alright to me. A bit princessy, but cool."
"'Princessy,' huh?"
"She's cute, but I've never met another girl like her. Ever. Total princess vibes."
"You mean bratty."
"Tomato, tomato."
Yamada laughed, then tilted his head. "So, the last clan—were you thinking it's mine?"
"Yeah. Wasn't sure…"
"Yamada Wolff. My mother's name was Arata Ai. So yes, you're right—last of the Big Four is the Arata clan. Not of a Fighter clan like the others, but still damn useful. We're Healers. Doctors, in simpler terms. Combat medics, if needed."
"Ohh. Didn't mean to assume or anything... are you perhaps…?"
"It's fine. And yes. The last name does throw people off. 'Wolff'—yeah, my dad was English. Soshiki calls people like me Halfie. It's not unheard of, Soshiki marrying outsiders, but there aren't many of us in school."
"Yeah, I was kinda wondering. You don't look totally Japanese."
"Neither do you, to be honest."
I laughed awkwardly. "Orphanage kid. Don't know my roots."
"Ah." Yamada's voice quieted. "Same here, kind of. Took me time to get my footing too. But hey, you'll find yours. Eventually."
"I hope so…" But that still doesn't explain why V-sensei pulled me into their world. I'm a nobody.
Suddenly, the train began to slow.
"Well, that's odd. Why are we—"
Yamada's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong, Mr. Shin—?" WHAT?!
SOMEWHERE ON THE HIGHWAY
The car jolted violently.
Glass shattered.
Blood sprayed across the windshield.
Mr. Shin, the driver, slumped forward, a charred black sword protruding from his chest—seemingly conjured from the shadows themselves.
"Shit!" Yamada cursed, eyes narrowing as a dark, flickering aura danced in the air. A fiery blade melted into nothingness, leaving no trace but burnt leather and blood.
"What the hell just happened?!" Ren shouted, heart hammering in his chest.
Yamada's foot kicked open the car door. "Spectres. Fucking Spectres. Which means this isn't a random hit." His gaze snapped toward Ren. "There's a reason V-sensei brought you into Soshiki. Tell me, can you fight?"
"I mean... I've been in a few street fights, but—wait, what do you mean Spectres? You're telling me we're being attacked by monsters right now?!"
Yamada blinked. "Wait. You can't see them?"
"No?"
"Shit shit shit—BEHIND YOU!"
Ren spun. Nothing there. Just air. Until something slammed into him.
A vicious, ghostlike creature—pale gray skin, horns, jagged claws, and sharp teeth—phased into visibility as it struck. Yamada punched it square in the temple, forcing it back, but there were more. Dozens more. The street around them warped and shimmered under the weight of twisted energies.
"That was an Oni!" Yamada growled. "Dial two on my phone—Sakura. Tell her where we are!" He hurled his phone toward Ren.
Ren caught it, barely. But as he raised it to call, something cold and foul slammed into his chest.
He hit the ground, hard.
"Ren!!" Yamada shouted.
The air shimmered as the strike landed—but instead of bones shattering, a glowing ancient symbol briefly appeared over Ren's chest. V-sensei's Power Force. A shield? A ward? "I… can't see them," Ren coughed, trying to scramble up. "But I can feel them."
And then he moved.
Instinct took over. Years of surviving in back alleys, fighting in the dark with broken bottles and bruised knuckles—Ren ducked, pivoted, and slammed his fist forward.
The air cracked.
His knuckles collided with the creature's jaw—solid. A follow-up elbow cracked its wide forehead. It crumpled into smoke and ash.
"What the hell—?!" Yamada muttered. "You hit it?"
Ren turned, panting. "I didn't see it. I just knew it was there."
More of them crawled from shadows. Their distorted limbs and snarling faces twisted in the flickering streetlight like a nightmare set on repeat.
Yamada crushed an Oni's ribcage with a spinning kick, and landed beside Ren, drenched in sweat. "There's at least a hundred of these bastards. Stand back now."
"A hundred's… fine." Ren growled.
"What? Are you insane? I said stand back!"
But Ren was already moving. He leapt forward, throwing wild, unrefined but brutally effective punches. One Oni tried to phase behind him—Ren backhanded it into a side of the street.
Yamada stood in disbelief. No training. No jutsu. No sight. He's still hitting them?
Something clicked.
"Could it be...?"
Yamada clenched his fists and activated it.
His irises pulsed gold.
Arata Eyes: Kashi-sei — Visibility.
Time slowed.
He saw everything—the flicker of movement from Oni claws, the shimmer of their energy as they attacked, and more importantly, he saw how to manipulate it.
He clapped his hands together. A ripple spread through the space around him.
Jutsu: Yakedo — Burn.
A wave of illusionary heat and refracted light distorted the Oni's vision—turning their aggression on each other.
Some clawed at empty air.
Others mauled their allies, mistaking them for prey.
Yamada slipped between them like smoke, his fists landing precise, brutal blows.
Ren, on the other hand, was moving with almost feral grace. He rolled, ducked, tackled. Sensed the attacks before they landed. His knuckles cracked skulls. His heel stomped one through few meters long.
"Not bad for someone who can't see them." Yamada said between heavy breaths, grinning.
A pair of larger Oni—twice the size of the others—emerged from a burning crack in the road.
"Oh come on!" Ren muttered, bloody and bruised. "We done yet?"
"Nope. These two are elites."
Yamada slammed a fist into the pavement. A glowing ancient symbol spread beneath him.
Jutsu: Arata Seal.
Black, flaming chains erupted and lashed out, dragging one Oni into the ground as Yamada jumped onto its back and drove his elbow into its skull.
The other roared, charging Ren.
Ren stood his ground.
He exhaled.
Then sprinted—straight toward it.
He ducked the first swing, slid between its legs, and twisted, planting a foot into the back of its knee.
The Oni stumbled. Ren launched himself onto its back and, fueled by nothing but raw survival instinct, punched it repeatedly in the head until it exploded into ash.
And just like that—the street was silent again.
Ren dropped to his knees, chest heaving.
Yamada leaned against a crushed lamppost. "Fucking hell," he wheezed. "Now I know why V brought you in."
"Huh?" Ren chuckled, blood smeared on his face. "You talking shit already?"
"You're laughing?"
"Yeah. Well shit, yeah! I think I shit my soul back there. That was INSANE!"
"Heh." Yamada pulled a crumpled cigarette from his coat pocket. Lit it with a flick of his fingers. Took a long drag. "Don't tell the teachers."
"You look like death."
"I feel like it. Side effect of using the Arata Eyes."
Ren flopped onto his back, staring at the night sky. "Man, I can feel everything now. That Power Force thing must've faded… but it was worth it."
They both lay there in the wreckage of the road, laughing and catching their breath.
Sirens wailed in the distance. Footsteps approached fast—Ryosuke and Sakura, flanked by Men in Black, rushed toward them. Mr. Shin was being tended to.
Yamada exhaled smoke.
The road was torn.
The air still hummed with fading energy.
But he wasn't thinking about the mess.
He looked at Ren.
A nobody. Or so they thought.
"V-sensei," Yamada whispered, watching Ren laugh with bloodied knuckles. "You found someone just like you, didn't you?"