Renjiro stepped out of the KEB headquarters, the cool evening air brushing against his skin. The city hummed with life, neon lights flickering across towering buildings, the sound of distant chatter and the occasional honk of a car filling the streets.

He rolled his shoulders. Under observation, huh?

Not that it was surprising. The moment he had shown his hand against that Shigen, it was inevitable that the authorities would take notice. Still, it was mildly inconvenient—he had hoped to explore this world’s Koi advancements without drawing too much attention.

As expected, the presence of KEB officers lingered even after his release. He didn’t need to look over his shoulder to know they were watching. Their Koi signatures were weak, but they were there. Tracking him. Studying him.

Renjiro smirked. They’ll have to do better than that.

His feet carried him toward the heart of the city, where the streets were alive with movement. Students, salarymen, street vendors, all oblivious to the undercurrent of power that ran beneath their feet. Most of them would never know.

But some did.

His eyes flickered to a nearby alley. A group of men stood gathered in the shadows, their voices low, their movements sharp. Their Koi wasn’t refined—unstable, reckless. Not trained warriors, but something close.

Illicit users.

Renjiro exhaled through his nose, debating whether or not to engage. He wasn’t here to play hero, but...

A sudden scream cut through the air.

His decision was made for him.

The Watchful Eyes of the KEB: Part 2

Renjiro’s body moved before logic dictated. His feet barely made a sound as he slipped into the alley, his presence masked. The dim glow of a flickering street lamp revealed the scene ahead—a girl, no older than sixteen, backed against the wall, her amber eyes wide with fear.

A man loomed over her, his aura suffocating. His Koi was thick, but unrefined, jagged, lacking the discipline of a true fighter. His companions stood nearby, their expressions twisted with amusement.

Renjiro sighed. Idiots.

“You’re not very subtle,” he remarked, stepping forward.

All heads turned to him. The girl gasped, but the men scowled. The leader straightened, eyes narrowing as he scanned Renjiro.

“Get lost, kid.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Renjiro tilted his head. “Tempting. But I’d rather not.”

The leader’s scowl deepened. A flicker of Koi surged around his fist, dark tendrils of energy snaking through his fingers. Ah. So they really were illicit users.

“Shouldn’t have done that,” Renjiro murmured.

The man lunged, fist crackling with unstable power. A direct attack—predictable.

Renjiro barely moved. He sidestepped, his fingers flicking forward. A single tap to the wrist—

The man’s arm spasmed. His Koi flickered, shattering like brittle glass as Renjiro’s precise strike disrupted its flow. The leader stumbled, eyes wide with shock.

“What the—?”

Renjiro didn’t give him time to recover.

A fluid motion—his foot swept forward, connecting with the man’s knee. The joint buckled. A choked grunt escaped his lips as he collapsed, clutching his leg.

The others hesitated, uncertainty flickering in their expressions. They weren’t trained fighters. Just thugs who happened to wield Koi.

Renjiro straightened. “I’ll give you one chance to walk away.”

Silence. Then—

One of them bolted. Another followed, cursing under his breath. The last hesitated before grabbing his fallen leader and retreating into the night.

Cowards.

Renjiro turned to the girl. She was still against the wall, staring at him with wide, unblinking eyes.

“You alright?” he asked.

She didn’t respond immediately. Then, she swallowed hard and nodded. “Y-Yeah. I think so.”

Renjiro exhaled. “Good. Then go home.”

She hesitated. “But… who are you?”

He considered the question for a moment before shrugging. “Just a guy passing through.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her to stare after him.

The Watchful Eyes of the KEB: Part 3

The streets were quieter as he moved. He could still feel the presence of the KEB agents, their movements subtle, but not hidden well enough. Amateurs.

He took a detour through an empty park, the hum of the city fading into the distance. Then—

“Are you going to follow me all night, or do you actually plan to say something?”

A pause. Then, from the shadows, Sera stepped forward.

Renjiro smirked. “Captain. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

She folded her arms. “You’re not making my job any easier.”

“Wasn’t trying to.”

She exhaled through her nose. “Illicit Koi users. You took them down in seconds.”

“They were weak.”

Sera studied him carefully. “And yet, you still intervened.”

Renjiro shrugged. “I don’t like watching people get hurt.”

“…You’re a strange one.”

He grinned. “I get that a lot.”

Silence stretched between them before she finally spoke again. “You were being watched tonight. Not just by us.”

His smirk faded slightly. “Oh?”

Sera nodded. “Another presence. Stronger. More concealed. We couldn’t track them.”

Now that was interesting.

Renjiro crossed his arms. “And? What do you think they wanted?”

Sera’s gaze didn’t waver. “You.”

A flicker of excitement stirred in his chest. Finally.

The game had begun.