Ayami's smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. "He's not just any samurai. He's one of the gifted—someone granted power by the gods. And if he's after me, that means things are about to get a lot more dangerous."

I swallowed hard. "Dangerous how?"

Ayami glanced back toward where the mirror to the real world shimmered faintly. "It means we don't have much time before more of them come."

"I see... that's bad," I muttered, my brows furrowing. "But I have a question. Why did you... call my name earlier?"

Ayami's mouth opened slightly, as if searching for the right words. Then, she smiled faintly. "They want you to join them... to kill Enkidu."

My stomach tightened. "...So that's why. And you did that for me?"

Ayami's smile softened. "I would say that, yeah."

I stared at her for a moment, letting the weight of her words sink in. Kill Enkidu... That wasn't something you just casually bring up.

"...Thanks, I guess."

Her smile turned playful. "Don't thank me yet."

"Ah, I actually came here with my friends... let's get out, okay?" I said, glancing at Ayami.

"Alright..." she replied quietly.

We walked through the karaoke building, looking for the mirror to return to the real world. Once we stepped back into the hallway, it was eerily quiet. The sound of muffled voices came from the karaoke rooms, but no one was around in the hallway.

Inside one of the rooms, I could hear Sakura, Risa, and a few workers trying to keep calm.

"I-Is the puma gonna come here?" Risa asked, her voice trembling.

"Shhh," one of the workers quickly hushed her, clearly trying to avoid drawing any attention.

Suddenly, there was a loud thud as the door to the room shook. The group inside froze, panic creeping back in.

Then, a face appeared from the outside of the door.

"Gyaaaa!" Risa screamed, her voice echoing through the room.

The others jumped in shock, but when they saw who it was, their fear turned to confusion. It was me—my face peeking through the door.

Sakura immediately reached out and held Risa's shoulder. "Calm down, it's Hikaru-san..."

"O-Oh..." Risa stammered, realizing it was just me.

One of the workers, still a bit unsure, asked, "Is that your friend?"

"Yeah, he came with us. He must've made sure the puma is gone," Sakura answered, standing up and opening the door.

As she did, Ayami and I stepped in.

"Hey, guys," I waved, "the puma's already gone."

Ayami just stood beside me, raising her hand. "Yo."

Risa, still shocked, shouted, "Hikaru! Where were you earlier? We saw you! You jumped into the glass and then... just disappeared!"

Sakura, however, seemed to already understand what happened. She just stared at Ayami, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"Um, customers... where did the puma go?" one of the workers asked, looking at me anxiously.

"Oh, it ran far away from here. It's okay," I answered, trying to reassure them.

The workers, visibly relieved, began to leave the room one by one, ensuring the coast was clear. Only five of them remained, casting nervous glances between Ayami and me as they carefully checked the hallways. They knocked on the other doors to confirm everyone was safe, reassuring the customers that the danger had passed.

After a few moments of silence, the last worker, a younger man, stepped into the hallway and glanced around. "Looks like the puma's really gone. We're in the clear."

Risa, still wide-eyed and shaken, looked at Ayami. "And... who is this?"

I glanced at Ayami, unsure of how to explain.

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"I'm his aunt," Ayami said, crossing her arms and smiling.

"Aunt!? You look way too young to be an aunt... you look like you're in middle school!" Risa exclaimed.

"Oi..." Ayami shot Risa an annoyed look, clearly not too happy with the comment.

***

Later that evening, after the chaos had settled, I found myself back at home. I was sitting on my bed, taking a deep breath to shake off the lingering tension from the day's events. The room was quiet, the usual calm of my space offering a brief moment of peace.

But I wasn't alone for long.

Ayami was sitting in the chair, a serious look on her face. She had followed me home without saying a word after everything that had happened.

"I really need to talk to you," she said.

"It seems so important that you followed me here," I said.

"Well, I don't want to die early," Ayami replied, her tone serious. "I just want to talk for a moment..."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sudden shift in her tone. "Die early? What are you talking about, Ayami?"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair before meeting my gaze. "It's about the people who are after me, and why I've been avoiding them. I never asked for their power or their blessings, and now they're hunting me down because of it."

I stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

"So it seems they're after you too, but I heard they really want you to join them without hesitation... and you seem like someone who could handle magic."

"Am I?" I asked, still unsure.

"How about you start working with me, Hikaru-kun?" she suggested.

"Am I gonna get paid?" I asked, half-joking but serious.

She paused, looking at me for a moment. "I guess, yeah..."

I raised an eyebrow. "So, what's the deal then?"

She leaned forward slightly, her expression serious. "You see, I was actually working for myself—to kill those people who want magic to come back. So, if you want to come with me, help make sure magic doesn't return, then I'll pay you."

"Deal," I replied without hesitation.

Ayami smiled, a genuine warmth in her expression. "Thanks... It means a lot. At least this way, no one else will have magic, and the world can continue in peace like this."

"So, what am I gonna do?" I asked, still processing everything.

"When's winter break?" she replied.

"Tomorrow," I answered.

"Okay, then come to my place tomorrow, okay?"

"Alright..." I nodded, feeling a strange mix of anticipation and uncertainty.

***

The next day arrived with a heavy snowstorm blanketing the city. The wind howled outside, whipping the snow into a white frenzy, and everything looked eerily quiet under the thick layer of snow. I pulled my jacket tighter around myself as I made my way through the blizzard, the cold biting at my skin, and finally reached Ayami's apartment.

I knocked on the door, the sound muffled by the thick snowstorm outside. After a brief moment, the door opened to reveal Ayami, standing there in a simple yet practical outfit, looking as unfazed by the cold as ever.

"You made it," she said, stepping aside to let me in.

"Yeah, barely," I muttered, shaking off the snow and stepping inside. The warmth of her apartment hit me immediately, and I sighed in relief.

Ayami led me to the small living area, where a few books and strange artifacts were scattered around. "Make yourself comfortable. We have a lot to discuss."

I glanced around, feeling the weight of the situation starting to settle in. "So, what exactly are we doing today?" I asked, trying to focus.

Ayami crossed her arms and sat down across from me. "We're going to start preparing. The people hunting me—those with the magic blessings—won't stop until they have what they want. And you're going to help me stop them."

I nodded, unsure of what the plan was but feeling the importance of what we were about to do.

Ayami opened her laptop, the soft glow of the screen illuminating her face as she sifted through a few files. She then slid an ID card across the table to me, her expression serious.

"These are the people who are still hunting me," she said, her voice cold as she tapped on the laptop. "They're part of a larger network of gifted individuals who believe the power they've been given is their birthright. They won't stop until they have me, and they'll do anything to force me into joining them."

I picked up the card, studying the picture of a man in his mid-thirties, a cold, calculating expression on his face. His name was printed along with various details about his role and abilities.

"These are the ones still alive?" I asked, scanning the names and details of each person she showed me. Some of them had terrifying abilities—abilities I hadn't even known were possible. Each one seemed more dangerous than the last.

"Yes," Ayami replied, her voice tight. "They're all skilled, and they've survived this long because they're smart. But I know their weaknesses. And with your help, we can end this before they get any closer."

"The samurai's one of their friends, right?" I asked. "They're rivals, but they work together sometimes."

"Rivals... but they complement each other," Ayami replied, her tone slightly frustrated. "They're always collaborating."

"Who's the samurai, anyway? I still don't know his name," I asked, my curiosity piqued.

Ayami opened a new folder on her laptop, clicking through several files before stopping at one that had a picture of the samurai. She slid the file across the table to me, and I leaned in to study it closely.

"This is him," Ayami said, her voice low. "His name is Kaito Yamamoto. He comes from a long line of samurai—his family has been serving a noble lineage for generations. But he's different. His ancestors were loyal to an ancient Yamamoto family that became renowned samurai, and they've carried that legacy for centuries."

I glanced at the picture of the man, his piercing gaze almost daring anyone to challenge him. The details under the photo mentioned his background—trained in ancient combat techniques, with a particular focus on swordsmanship.

"Yamamoto..." I muttered under my breath, recognizing the legendary name. It was the name of a great samurai lineage, known for their prowess and discipline.

"So, he's blessed... but what god though?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"Probably a god of martial arts," Ayami replied, her tone thoughtful. "Takemikazuchi-no-Okami. I don't know the details about how he got the magic, but at least he's no longer in this world."

I leaned back in my chair, processing what Ayami had said. A martial arts god? That explained the sheer power and skill the samurai had displayed.

"Back to the guy I gave you earlier..." Ayami continued, her voice steady. "His name is Haruto Kinoshita. He's one of the top leaders in the network I've been avoiding. He's not as physically imposing as Kaito, but his magic is incredibly dangerous."

"What is it?"

"Ice..."

Ice!? That's dangerous, especially since it's snowy right now, I thought, realizing the immediate threat his abilities posed in the current weather.

To Be Continue.