Chapter 64: Three Fronts
The phone vibrated in Kaito’s pocket. It was not a call. It was an alert. He had set the sensors himself. They monitored the ley lines of the city. They rarely triggered together. Tonight, they screamed.
Kaito stood on the rooftop. The wind was cold. He pulled out the phone. The screen showed three red dots. One in the Grey District. One in the Commercial Zone. One near the Academy.
Kuro said: "Three simultaneous breaches."
Kaito said: "I see them."
Kuro said: "You cannot be in three places."
Kaito said: "I do not need to be."
Kaito opened his jacket. He fanned the cards. They vibrated in his hand. They felt the rifts. They wanted to hunt. He selected three cards. He separated them from the deck.
Kaito said: "Kuro. Grey District."
Kuro said: "Alone."
Kaito said: "Containment. Do not engage unless necessary."
Kuro said: "Boring. But fine."
Kuro dissolved into shadow. He flowed into the Ace of Spades. Kaito threw the card into the air. It vanished into the night. It was heading to the first location. Kuro would hold the line.
Kaito said: "Atlas. Commercial Zone."
The Mythical card glowed. It was heavy. It felt like lifting a stone. Kaito tossed it toward the city center. Atlas was defense. He could hold a crack open without letting anything through. He did not need Kaito there. He needed authority.
Kaito said: "Fenrir. With me."
The King of Fangs remained in his hand. It was warm. It pulsed. The third location was the Academy. It was the closest. It was also the most dangerous. If students were there, they were at risk.
Kaito jumped from the roof. He did not fall. He slid down the shadow of the building. He hit the ground running. His legs pumped. His breath was steady. The city blurred around him. Streetlights streaked past.
Kuro said: "Grey District secured. Drifter class. Contained."
Kaito said: "Hold it."
Kuro said: "I am holding. But the pressure is increasing."
Kaito said: "Atlas."
Atlas said: "Zone stable. The crack is large. I am holding the weight."
Kaito said: "Do not let it widen."
Atlas said: "It will not."
Kaito turned a corner. The Academy was ahead. The gates were locked. The buildings were dark. But the air shimmered near the gymnasium. The crack was purple. It was not a drifter. It was a Hunter.
Kaito said: "Fenrir. Merge."
He pressed the card to his chest. The light flowed into him. The heat surged. The fur grew. The claws extended. The speed increased. He rushed the gate. He did not stop. He vaulted over the fence. He landed on the grass.
The Hunter stood near the crack. It was tall. It had blades for arms. It looked at the school building. It was looking for prey. Kaito slammed into it. The impact knocked it back. The claw scraped against his arm. The jacket tore.
Kaito said: "Away from them."
The Hunter shrieked. It swung both blades. Kaito ducked. He rolled. He came up behind it. He grabbed its waist. He lifted. He threw it toward the crack. The entity dug its blades into the ground. It stopped. It pulled itself back.
Kuro said: "Commercial Zone is stable. Atlas is holding."
Kaito said: "Good."
Kaito lunged again. He punched the entity in the chest. The bone cracked. The entity did not fall. It adapted. The blades grew longer. It slashed at Kaito’s face. Kaito twisted. The blade cut his cheek. Blood flowed. It was warm.
Kaito said: "Close it."
Fenrir said: "Push it in."
Kaito grabbed the entity’s arms. He held them tight. The blades pressed into his skin. He did not let go. He dragged the entity toward the shimmer. The crack pulsed. It wanted to close. It needed the entity inside.
The entity resisted. It planted its feet. It was strong. Kaito’s muscles burned. The merge was fading. He had used too much energy running. He had split his focus. He was tired.
Kaito said: "Now."
Fenrir howled. The sound amplified Kaito’s strength. He shoved. The entity stumbled. It fell into the shimmer. The crack snapped shut. The entity vanished. The card fell to the grass.
Kaito fell to his knees. He breathed hard. The merge broke. He was human again. His arms were bleeding. His cheek was stinging. His lungs burned. He picked up the card. He tucked it away.
Kuro said: "All fronts secure."
Kaito said: "Status."
Kuro said: "Grey District sealed. Commercial Zone sealed. Academy sealed."
Kaito said: "Casualties."
Kuro said: "None."
Kaito exhaled. The tension left his shoulders. He sat on the grass. The dew was cold. The night was quiet. The school was safe. The students were sleeping. They did not know they had been targets.
Kaito thought: Too close.
Three fronts. He had managed it. But it had been tight. If Atlas had failed, the city center would be overrun. If Kuro had been slow, the Grey District would be open. If Kaito had been late, the school would be breached.
He could not do this often. He was one person. He had a deck. But he had limits. The enemies were learning. They were coordinating. This was a test. They were testing his range.
Kuro said: "You are bleeding."
Kaito said: "It is minor."
Kuro said: "You are exhausted."
Kaito said: "I am standing."
Kuro said: "For now. Next time there might be four."
Kaito said: "Then I will be faster."
Kuro said: "You cannot be faster forever."
Kaito stood up. His legs shook. He steadied himself. He looked at the school. The windows were dark. He imagined Hana sleeping in her room. He imagined Ryota snoring in his bed. He imagined Jin watching the news.
They were safe. He had bought that safety with blood. It was a fair trade. It was the only trade he knew.
Kaito started walking. He headed for the gate. He needed to leave before the security guards woke up. He needed to go home. He needed to sleep. He needed to heal.
Kuro said: "Jin is messaging."
Kaito said: "Tell him I am busy."
Kuro said: "He knows. He asks if you are alive."
Kaito said: "Tell him yes."
Kuro said: "He says to come to the clinic. He has supplies."
Kaito said: "Later."
Kuro said: "He is waiting."
Kaito stopped. He looked at his phone. The message was there. Clinic. Back entrance. Now.
Kaito said: "Okay."
Kaito changed direction. He walked toward the back of the school. The fence was lower here. He climbed over. He landed on the street. The clinic was two blocks away. It was a small private facility. Jin’s family owned it.
Kaito walked. His steps were heavy. The blood on his cheek was drying. It felt tight. The cuts on his arms were deep. They needed stitches. He could not do them himself. Not with his left hand shaking.
He reached the clinic. The back door was unlocked. He opened it. He stepped inside. The light was dim. Jin stood by a table. He had gauze and antiseptic ready. He looked at Kaito. He did not look surprised.
Jin said: "Sit."
Kaito said: "Thanks."
Kaito sat on the chair. Jin cleaned the cut on his cheek. It stung. Kaito did not flinch. Jin stitched it quickly. He wrapped the arms. He worked in silence. He knew Kaito did not want to talk.
Jin said: "Three locations."
Kaito said: "Yes."
Jin said: "You handled them."
Kaito said: "Yes."
Jin said: "Alone."
Kaito said: "Not alone. I have the deck."
Jin said: "The deck is not people."
Kaito said: "They are enough."
Jin finished the bandage. He stepped back. He looked at Kaito. His eyes were dark. They were serious.
Jin said: "You cannot do this every night."
Kaito said: "I have to."
Jin said: "You will break."
Kaito said: "Then I will break."
Jin said: "No. You will not. I will not let you."
Kaito looked at him. Jin was not offering help. He was stating a fact. He was inserting himself into the equation. He was becoming a variable. Kaito should have resisted. He should have pushed him away. He did not.
Kaito said: "Okay."
Jin said: "Go home. Sleep. I will cover for you tomorrow."
Kaito said: "School."
Jin said: "I will handle it."
Kaito stood up. He felt lighter. The pain was still there. The exhaustion was still there. But the burden was shared. Just a little. Just enough.
Kaito said: "Thanks."
Jin said: "Go."
Kaito left the clinic. He walked home. The streets were empty. The city was quiet. The three cracks were sealed. The hunger was waiting. But tonight, Kaito had won.
He reached his apartment. He climbed the stairs. He unlocked the door. He stepped inside. The room was dark. He did not turn on the light. He walked to the bed. He lay down. He did not take off his jacket.
Kuro said: "Rest."
Kaito said: "I will."
Kuro said: "Three fronts."
Kaito said: "Next time four."
Kuro said: "You are stubborn."
Kaito said: "I am alive."
Kuro said: "For now."
Kaito closed his eyes. He slept. He did not dream. He dreamed of three red dots. He dreamed of them turning green. He dreamed of a city that slept safely.
The morning came. The sun rose. Kaito woke up. He was sore. He was stitched. He was tired. He stood up. He washed his face. He looked in the mirror. The bandage was visible. He covered it with his hair.
He put on his jacket. He checked the cards. They were secure. He opened the door. He stepped into the hallway. He walked down the stairs. He passed the second floor. The step was empty.
He walked out into the morning. The city was waking up. The people were moving. The life was flowing. Kaito joined the stream. He was one among many. He was invisible. He was the keeper.
He touched his pocket. The cards were there. The debt was paid. The day began.
Kaito kept walking. He did not look back. The shadow followed. The light remained. He was ready.
The day began.
