The Phantom Cat

Phantasmal Things.

A mysterious phenomenon that breathed life into objects that were never meant to possess it. Ordinary items, began to move, think, and manifest abilities beyond human comprehension. These awakened objects, known as Phantasmal Things, granted unimaginable powers to those they bonded with.People who became possessed by these objects inherited abilities reflecting the nature of the item itself. 

There were three types of Phantasmal Things. Normal, The most common type, granting useful but relatively straightforward abilities. Corrupted. Items steeped in darkness, tainted by a sinister history. Objects like Muramasa's cursed blades, which drove their wielders to madness, fell under this category. Those possessed by corrupted Phantasmal Things often lost control, consumed by bloodlust or insanity. We called them Animortis. And lastly Heroic. Unlike corrupted objects, these held a noble and revered past. Legendary items such as King Arthur’s Excalibur or the Holy Grail were Heroic s, granting immense power to their wielders while retaining their purity. Which is called the Artifact Hero.

Among all the Heroics, the Twelve Animal Zodiac Signs stood above the rest. These revered artifacts granted their possessors abilities linked to the animals of the zodiac—and more. Legends spoke of their immeasurable power, their bond only forming with the most worthy individuals. 

At least... that’s how it was supposed to be. 

"What... is this?”  

[System Detected]

‘Congratulations, Nekoya Shiro. The 13th Animal Zodiac Sign: Phantom Cat has chosen you as its possessor.'

‘Would you like to accept it? Yes/No'

"The... 13th Zodiac Sign?" Shiro’s eyes widened, his voice barely above a whisper. "Phantom Cat...? But there’s only supposed to be twelve..."

“This is not time to think. Whatever it is, if it's giving me the power to survive!!”

“Yes!, I will accept becoming the possessor!”

Meanwhile Ago. 

The sun was beginning to set over Jingumae casting a warm glow across the quiet neighborhood. A young man, walked casually down the street, carrying two plastic bags filled with groceries.  

"I hope my sister’s not bullying Shiro again…" 

The street was peaceful, the only sounds of leaves and the chatter of neighbors. But that serenity didn’t last long.  

Suddenly, an emergency alarm echoed through the air, piercing the calm evening.  

"Residents of Jingumae, please evacuate to your nearest evacuation center IMMEDIATELY. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill."  

The voice of a female announcer echoed across the neighborhood, her tone urgent and unwavering.  

“Evacuation? What’s going on? Did a wild Animortis show up or something?”

“I need to hurry… Mom and my sister…”  

Shiro pace quickened, his mind racing with worry. He was only a few blocks away. As he turned a corner, he heard something—  

*Step… step… step…*  

The sound of footsteps echoed unnervingly in the empty street. 

 

“Someone else evacuating?” he wondered, not bothering to look back. His focus was on getting home. But as he took another step forward and turned left at the next block—  

His breath caught in his throat.  

Standing in the middle of the street was a towering figure, clad in ancient samurai armor. The figure stood at least 190 centimeters tall, its armor battered and stained with something dark. A long katana gleamed ominously in its hand.

It wasn’t human.  

The air around it felt heavy, thick with malice. The armored samurai moved with unnatural grace, its sword slashing through anything in its path.  

“Is that… an Animortis?” Shiro's voice was barely above a whisper, his body frozen in fear.  

The creature hadn’t noticed him. Yet.  

Shiro crouched behind a nearby wall, holding his breath as he watched the monstrous samurai continue its path of destruction.  

“I need to get out of here…” Shiro murmured, his mind screaming at him to run.  

But just as Shiro was about to move. The samurai Animortis was standing right behind him. Its lifeless eyes stared down at him, sword raised and ready to strike. When he will be slashed Without him knowing by the sword of Animortis. He heard a voice from afar.

“Boy, crouch down!!”  

A voice echoed from afar.  

Without thinking, his body obeyed the man, crouching down just as the deadly blade sliced through the air where his head had been. The sound of steel cutting through empty space sent fear. 

   

Before Shiro could even react, someone grabbed him, moving with the speed of sound. In an instant, he was being carried away, lifted off the ground as the towering samurai Animortis faded into the distance.  

The figure holding him wore a uniform resembling that of a police officer, but there was something different—something far more authoritative. The grip was firm yet careful, ensuring Shiro was safe as they sped away.  

After they had put a safe distance between themselves and the threat, the man finally set Shiro down.  

“What are you doing here, kid?!” the man barked, his tone laced with frustration. His sharp gaze locked onto Shiro. “The announcement said to head to the evacuation center, didn’t it?!”  

Shiro still froze from the fear Animortis Gave, Before he could answer, another voice cut through the tension.  

“Calm down, Captain. It’s not his fault he was there.”  

A woman appeared beside the man, her presence almost ethereal in contrast to his commanding aura. She glanced at Shiro, her expression softening as she knelt slightly to meet his gaze.  

“Don’t worry about him, okay?” she said gently. “He’s just like that and you should go to the evacuation center. All the residents are already there.”  

Shiro finally answered them, still catching his breath. “Y-Yes! Thank you!”  

Without another word, he turned and ran toward the evacuation center, leaving them to handle the Animortis.

Minutes Later  

The evacuation center was packed, filled with worried faces and anxious murmurs. Shiro’s eyes scanned the crowd frantically, searching for familiar faces.  

“Mom… Sakura…shiro, I hope you all are here” he whispered, weaving through the groups of evacuees.  

After what felt like an eternity, his eyes finally landed on them.  

“Mom! Sakura! And Shiro!”  

His voice cracked with relief as he rushed toward them.  

“Shiro!” His mother’s face lit up as she pulled him into a tight embrace. “Thank God you’re safe…”  

Beside her, Sakura—his younger sister—looked up, her eyes filled with concern. “We were so worried about you! Why did you take so long to get here?”  

Shiro scratched the back of his head, his expression sheepish. “Well… I didn’t know you and Sakura were already here, so I went home first to evacuate together…”  

His mother’s arms tightened around him, her voice trembling slightly. Showing that she is really worried about Shiro Safety “Thank God nothing happened to you while you were out…”  

As soon as Shiro met his family, a loud noise echoed from outside. The ground trembled slightly, and panic swept through the evacuation center.  

"What was that??" Shiro's little sister, Sakura, asked, her voice filled with worry.  

Shiro’s eyes narrowed as he turned toward the source of the noise. Smoke and dust billowed in the air near the gate. His instincts screamed danger.  

“For now, run! Mom, Sakura, head to the exit!” Shiro urged, his voice firm. 

 

His mother hesitated but saw the determination in his eyes. Clutching Sakura’s hand tightly, she guided her toward the exit with shiro, their cat, following closely behind.  

Shiro ensured they entered first before he moved to follow. But just as he was about to step through the exit, a massive explosion tore through the entrance door, sending debris flying. Shiro shielded his face from the blast, and when he looked up, his heart pounded.  

The armored Animortis had breached the wall. The monstrous samurai, clad in thick black armor and glowing crimson eyes, was injured but still lethal. And nearby, a familiar soldier was locked in combat with it, their surroundings destroyed by the intensity of their fight.

  

Panic surged through the crowd inside. People screamed, shoving and pushing each other toward the exit.  

“Ahh!”  

Shiro cried out as the force of the crowd knocked him down. Pain shot through his left leg as someone stepped on it in the chaos. He tried to get up, but the injury slowed him down.  

“I can’t move properly with this crowd and injury,” Shiro muttered, frustration etched on his face.  

Shiro can't keep up with the crowd with injury. With no choice, he let the remaining people escape first to be able to more properly, staying behind as they disappeared through the exit. Moments later, the evacuation center fell eerily silent. Shiro was the only one left civilian there. 

He was about to limp toward the exit when a body flew across the hall and landed hard near the exit door.  

Shiro’s eyes widened.  

“Mister?!”  

It was the man who had been fighting the Animortis, also the man who saved him earlier. Unconscious, he lay motionless.

Instead of escaping, Shiro moved towards the man.

“Hey! Mister!” Shiro knelt beside him, shaking his body gently. “Are you alright?”  

But the man didn’t respond. The body is cold, as if it is dead.

Shiro was so focused on calling the soldier that he didn’t notice the danger creeping up behind him.  

The Animortis moved silently, its massive form approaching with deadly intent. Like a predator closing in on its prey, it raised its katana, ready to strike shiro again without him knowing. 

Shiro was oblivious to the imminent danger.  

*Clang!*  

Steel clashed against steel, and sparks flew.  

Shiro’s head snapped up hearing the sound.  

A woman stood between him and the Animortis, her sword locking against the monstrous samurai’s blade. Her stance was unwavering, her eyes focused and determined.  

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice firm but laced with concern.  

“Y-Yes... but mister is—” Shiro stammered, glancing down at the unconscious man.  

“Don’t worry about him,” the woman said, her eyes never leaving the enemy. “Just focus on yourself and run!”  

The Animortis staggered but quickly regained its balance, readying itself for another strike. But the woman didn’t give it a chance. She dashed forward, her movements fluid and precise, engaging the armored samurai in a deadly clash.

As Shiro was about to move, he glanced back at the battle between the woman and the armored Animortis.  

‘Is it really okay to leave her?’  

Doubt crept into his mind. He shifted his gaze to the unconscious man beside him.  

‘This mister seems way stronger than that woman… but even he was defeated. What if she loses?’  

‘If she loses… my life… and all the escaping civilians will be in danger.’  

His feet refused to move. Instead of running, he just stood there, watching the fight unfold.  

The woman, still catching her breath, eyed the Animortis warily.  

“This Animortis… it’s stronger than it looks. Is he really a normal one?” she muttered.  

Her eyes flickered toward the unconscious captain.  

“The captain is down, but there’s no blood, no visible wounds… Is this the work of the Animortis’ unique ability?” 

 

A realization hit her.  

“…Does that mean this isn’t just a normal Animortis, but a corrupted one?”  

Before she could process it fully, the Animortis moved again.  

At first, it stepped forward slowly… then, in a blink, it vanished — and reappeared right in front of her! 

Its sword swung down in a deadly arc. The woman barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side just in time.  

“That footwork again. He’s too fast.”  

She gritted her teeth, gripping her sword tighter.  

“The backup should arrive in a few minutes… I don’t see a way to win, but I have to buy time.”  

Without hesitation, she lunged at the Animortis, her sword flashing as she launched a flurry of attacks.  

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*  

The Animortis effortlessly parried each strike, moving with unnatural precision. The woman kept pushing, refusing to let up despite her growing exhaustion.  

But her stamina was fading fast.  

Her swings became slower. Her movements are less sharp.  

The Animortis noticed.  

But it didn’t attack. It just kept parrying, waiting for her to reach her limit. She knew it too. While continuously attacking the Animortis, her body gave out for just a second.  

A fatal mistake.  

She froze in place, leaving herself wide open. The Animortis seized the moment.Its sword gleamed as it swung toward her, aiming to finish the fight. She saw the attack coming.She knew she wouldn’t dodge in time.  

A quiet apology slipped from her lips.  

“Sorry, Captai—”  

But before the blade could reach her— 

 

The Animortis staggered forward as something slammed into its side. The woman’s eyes widened in shock. Even the Animortis hadn’t expected it. Shiro stood there, his hands still outstretched from pushing the armored samurai. His legs were shaking, his face pale with fear and exhaustion, but his eyes burned with determination.  

He had stayed.  

“Boy…?” the woman muttered in disbelief.  

Shiro’s breathing was heavy, but he clenched his fists.  

“I… I couldn’t just run…my life… my family life and all the civilian life is in this fight” he said, his voice trembling. And he collapsed after pushing the Animortis 

The Animortis, caught off balance, struggled to regain its footing. The woman’s instincts screamed at her.  

“An opening!” 

Without hesitation, she raised her sword high and leaped into the air.  

“Phantasm Arts: Heaven Slash!”  

A brilliant light enveloped her blade as she brought it down.  

*SLASH!*  

Her sword sliced through the Animortis’ arm—the one holding the katana. The severed hand hit the floor, and the blade clattered beside it. The Animortis staggered. Its crimson eyes flickered. Then its black armor crumbled away, revealing an unconscious civilian underneath.

“He’s… defeated?” 

Shiro’s voice was weak as he lay on the cold floor, barely holding onto consciousness.  

The woman rushed toward him, her eyes filled with concern. 

“Boy! Are you okay?!”  

Shiro forced a tired smile.  

“Yeah... it’s just the injury from earlier,” he mumbled, wincing as he tried to sit up.  

The woman knelt beside him, quickly helping him to his feet.  

“More importantly... is it over?”  

Shiro’s eyes darted toward the fallen Animortis.  

“Yes, I think—”  

Her words caught in her throat.  

“What…?”  

Her expression changed in an instant, her face going pale as her eyes widened in horror.  

“Are you okay!?” she gasped, her voice trembling.  

Shiro blinked, confused by her reaction.  

“I told you... it’s just an injury,” he said, his brows furrowing.  

“Injury…?”  

The woman’s hands shook as she pointed toward him. Shiro followed her gaze But before he could look down— His vision blurred, and his body felt heavy.  

*Thud.*  

He collapsed to the floor, his consciousness slipping.  

The woman’s heart pounded as she stared at what she had just witnessed. A sword — the same one the Animortis had wielded earlier — was lodged deep in Shiro’s stomach. It's weird that there's no hole or any blood. It's like the body was not pierced through but the soul itself. But that wasn’t the worst part.

  

The sword…  

It was moving.  

As if possessed by some unseen force, the blade slowly pulled itself free from Shiro’s body and floated in the air.  

“No… this can’t be…”  

The sword glided back toward the unconscious civilian, his previous vessel who had just been freed. In an instant, the same dark armor wrapped around the civilian’s body once more.  

The Animortis had returned.  

“This… this isn’t just an ordinary corrupted Phantasm Thing…”  

The woman’s hands trembled as she gripped her sword, but her body refused to move. Her strength was gone. Her mind was clouded with exhaustion and guilt.  

“I couldn’t save him… I let another innocent die…”  

But then— A soft glow illuminated the room.  

The woman’s eyes widened.  

Shiro’s body… It was glowing. A faint light enveloped him, growing brighter with each passing second. Then, his body began to change. His limbs grew lighter, more agile.  A white cat ears appeared on his head. A sleek, slender cat tail extended behind him, swaying gently.  

His aura felt… different. Stronger. Faster.  

“What is happening…?”  

The woman’s breath caught in her throat as Shiro’s eyes opened.  

They weren’t the same. His pupils were now narrow slits, glowing faintly like a predator’s. Shiro’s gaze locked onto the reanimated Animortis, and in an instant—  

He moved.

Faster than the woman could track.  

*THUD!*  

The Animortis was sent flying, crashing into the wall with enough force to crack the concrete. His body moved on instinct, like a predator stalking its prey. In a blink, he was gone again— Reappearing above the Animortis before it could get up.  

*BOOM!*  

Shiro’s kick drove the corrupted samurai back into the floor, creating a deep crater where it landed.

The sword the Animortis had been holding flew from its grasp, spinning through the air before landing a few feet away.  

But the woman noticed something.  

“Wait… that sword…”  

It wasn’t accident flew away.  

The Animortis had let go of it on purpose. The sword trembled, then shot through the air— Heading straight toward Shiro’s back.  

“Boy! Watch out!”  

The woman watching their fight from the beginning warned shiro.

But Shiro didn’t move.  

He just kept punching the Animortis, his fists striking with relentless speed and power. But as the blade was about to pierce Shiro's body— It passed right through him.  

“What?”  

The woman’s jaw dropped.  

The sword, instead of stabbing Shiro, passed harmlessly through his body— And struck the Animortis beneath him.

 

Shiro finally stopped.  

His glowing eyes locked onto the sword that stabbed in animortis chest.  

Shiro reached for it—  

*CRACK!*  

And snapped it cleanly in half.  

A surge of energy erupted as the corrupted weapon shattered, sending a shockwave through the area. The Animortis’ armor crumbled once more, leaving the civilian unconscious on the ground.    

Shiro’s body returned to normal—or almost. And collapsed once again.

The woman rushed toward him as he collapsed to the floor, unconscious but still breathing.  

But something was different.  

As she knelt beside him, she noticed the changes. Shiro’s cat ears on his head… And a cat tail.  

“A Phantasm Thing…?”  

Her voice was barely above a whisper.  

“Phantasm Things that allow the body to transform into animals…”  

Her eyes narrowed, confusion filling her mind.  

“The 12 Animal Zodiac Signs…” she murmured. “But I’ve never heard of a cat being one of them…”  

Her gaze lingered on Shiro’s peaceful face, her mind racing with unanswered questions.  

???? place.

“Where… am I?”  

Shiro’s voice echoed into the endless void.  

He stood up slowly, his eyes scanning the strange world around him. The ground beneath his feet was smooth and white, stretching endlessly in all directions. The horizon blurred into nothingness, and above him— A sky filled with countless stars.  

“What is this place?”  

Shiro furrowed his brow, trying to remember what had happened. 

“I… I remember passing out… but… how did I pass out?”  

Before he could think further—  

*BZZZT.*  
A strange, glitchy sound echoed through the empty space.  

Shiro’s eyes widened as a distorted, flickering screen appeared in front of him. The screen was unstable, like a broken machine desperately forcing itself to work.  

“What the…?”  

The screen glitched violently for a few seconds—  

Then, as if stabilizing, it fully materialized.  

"What… is this?"

A line of text appeared, glowing with a faint blue light.  

[Heroic System]  

‘Congratulations, Nekoya Shiro. The 13th Animal Zodiac Sign: Phantom Cat has chosen you as its possessor.’

Shiro blinked.  

“The… 13th Zodiac Sign?” His voice was barely above a whisper. “Phantom Cat…? But there’s only supposed to be twelve…”  

His heart pounded in his chest.  

“This isn’t the time to think about that. If this thing is giving me the power to survive—"  

Without hesitation, Shiro clenched his fists.  

“Yes! I’ll accept it!”  

The moment he spoke—

[Heroic System]

[*ERROR!*]  [*ERROR!*][*ERROR!*][*ERROR!*[

“Huh?”  

Shiro stumbled backward as the screen erupted in red error messages.  

‘Possessor does not possess any soul at this moment.’  ‘Possessing the body without a soul will make the body go wild.’

“No soul?!”  

Shiro’s mind raced.  

“What… does that even mean?”  

The system kept searching for a solution—  

[Heroic System]

Finding any solution 
[Error]
[Heroic System]
Finding any solution 
[Error] [Error]
[Heroic System]
Finding any solution 
[Error] [Error] [Error] [Error]
[Heroic System]
Finding any solution 
[Error] [Error] [Error] [Error] [Error] [Error]  

The glitching grew louder.  

“It’s too loud!”  

Shiro covered his ears, trying to block out the distorted noise.  

Then, after what felt like an eternity—  

*DING!*  

The system stopped.  

[**Heroic System**]  

‘Solution found.’  

Shiro’s heart skipped a beat.  

‘The 13th Animal Zodiac Sign: Phantom Cat will temporarily grant a soul to the possessor.’ 

‘Would you like to accept it?’  

“Grant me… a soul?”  

Shiro’s mind screamed with questions, but there was no time to hesitate.  

“Whatever… just—yes! I accept it!”  

*DING.*  
[Heroic System] 

‘Nekoya Shiro is confirmed as the 13th Animal Zodiac Sign Possessor.’  

Shiro’s eyes fluttered open, greeted by the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling.  

“Where… am I?”  

He blinked a few times, adjusting to the light.  

Before he could look around—  

“Shiro!”

A small figure lunged toward him, wrapping her tiny arms around his waist.  

“I’m so glad you’re okay!”  

“Sakura…?”  

Shiro gently patted his little sister’s head as she sniffled against him.  

“Mom…?”  

His mother’s worried face appeared beside her.  

“Shiro, son… are you alright?”  

“Yes…?”  

Shiro’s confusion deepened.  

“Where am I?”  

“You’re in the hospital, dear,” his mother answered softly.  

“Hospital…?”  

Shiro blinked, glancing at the window. His clothes had been changed, and he could feel bandages tightly wrapped around his body.  

“This woman and mister carried you here.”  

Shiro turned toward the source of the familiar voice.  

“Yo, kid.”  

A grinning man waved lazily from the corner of the room.  

“Miss… and mister?”  

Shiro’s eyes widened as he recognized the faces of the two people who had fought beside him.  

But then, confusion hit him hard.  

“Wait…”  

His gaze locked onto the man.  

“How…?”  

Shiro’s brows furrowed.  

“How are you alive, mister? I saw… you were…”  

“Huh?! Why are you killing me in your head?!”  

The man looked genuinely offended.  

“Fix your anger issues, captain.”  

The woman’s voice was calm, but her tone held a hint of amusement.  

“Anyway…”  

She turned to Shiro, her expression softening.  

“Boy, No….Nekoya Shiro.”  

Shiro blinked at the sudden formality.

  

“We owe you everything.”  

Her eyes were filled with gratitude.  

“Thanks to you, the captain, and I… along with the civilians… we’re all safe. We can’t forget what you did.”  

“What?”  

Shiro looked at her, confused.  

“But… you were the one who saved me, right?”  

The woman’s expression changed.  

“What?”  

Her eyes narrowed slightly.  

“Wait… you don’t remember anything after you were stabbed?”  

“Stabbed?”  

Shiro’s mom and sister froze.  

“My son got stabbed?!”  

“My brother got stabbed?!”  

They both shouted at the same time, and before Shiro could react—  

“W-Wait, Mom! Sakura, stop—!”  

They began pulling at his clothes, inspecting every inch of his upper body. 

 

“He’s fine… no wounds…”  

“I… I don’t remember anything.”  

Shiro’s voice was quiet as he tried to recall the moments after he blacked out.  

“The only thing I remember… is…”  

His voice trailed off.  

“I was… somewhere else.”  

“Somewhere else?”  

The woman leaned closer, her eyes narrowing.  

“Yes… it was a strange place. Empty… but beautiful. And… there was a system.”  

Shiro’s eyes darkened.  

“It congratulated me for becoming… the 13th Animal Zodiac Sign Possessor.”  

The moment he said that— Both the man and the woman froze. heir expressions shifted instantly— As if he had just revealed something forbidden. 

 

“H-Hey… kid…”  

The man’s tone was suddenly serious.  

“You’re not joking, right? You really said… the 13th Zodiac Sign?”  

Shiro met his gaze.  

“Yeah.”  

Silence filled the room.  

“*So… my theory was right…*”  

The woman murmured softly.  

“Your theory?”  

Shiro tilted his head.  

“Yes…”  

The woman stepped closer, pointing at his head and tail. 

“Look.”  

Shiro blinked, confused.  

“Huh?”  

Shiro turned to the nearby mirror— And his jaw dropped.  

“WHAT?!?!”  

Staring back at him was… Himself. But with pointed cat-like ears on top of his head. And a sleek tail swayed gently behind him.  

“W-Why do I… have…?”  

“It’s proof.”  

The woman’s voice was calm but firm.  

“You really are the possessor of the 12th.. No… The 13th Animal Zodiac Sign…”  

Shiro’s was still confused of what is happening.

The woman’s tone shifted, snapping him out of his thoughts.  

“It’s time.”  

“Huh?”  

She walked toward him, her expression unreadable.  

“Time for what?”  

“To take you with us.”  

Shiro blinked.  

“Wait… take me where?”  

*To the Artifact Hero Academy.”

  

“H-Huh?!”  

Shiro’s jaw nearly hit the floor. He was so shocked that he forgot about his appearance.