Run Against the Shadow

POV – Akira

I woke up with that strange feeling of being watched.

Great… even in this world, it’s impossible to sleep in peace.

Ignis was still snoring, the little girl nestled against her, as if she had completely forgotten the stupid quest.

I slipped quietly to the window, careful not to wake them.

A soft click, a rush of fresh air, and I jumped into the night.

The city bathed under a bright full moon. Stars scattered everywhere, like an ocean of glitter. Beautiful… but that heavy gaze never left me.

To the left.

I snapped my head.

She was there. A figure in a black cloak, perched on a rooftop, unmoving, eyes — I think — locked on me.

I didn’t even have time to breathe before she leapt away across the roofs.

“Hey! Wait! You’re really gonna make me run just for a couple of questions?!”

I clenched my teeth, already chasing her.

No choice. If I want answers, I have to catch her.

I dashed across the rooftops, my heels hammering against the tiles.

She bounded with unreal agility, a real black cat under the moon.

Seriously, can’t I run into something normal in this world?!

I pushed harder, lungs burning, without even realizing we’d already left the city behind.

In a flash, the rooftops vanished. The forest swallowed the night.

The figure stopped dead.

She turned.

Facing me.

I skidded to a halt, panting.

“Finally, you decide to—”

No time to finish.

A dagger whistled out of the shadows, straight at me.

I dove aside. The blade grazed my cheek — sharp, hot.

A thin trickle of blood ran down.

“Hey! I didn’t do anything to you!”

I raised my fists, ready.

“Look, I just want to ask you some questions, that’s all!”

No response. Her body shifted… and then she charged.

The first strike came like lightning.

I barely blocked in time, my hands already stinging. Stomach, shoulder, eye — she aimed everywhere.

Each dagger swing split the air with that metallic hiss that makes you blink too late.

Either I dodge, or I end up in pieces.

My palms were already cut up, blood sticking between my fingers.

Seriously… I was supposed to be asleep, not playing target practice at midnight…

She feinted left, blade rising.

The dagger slashed toward my head.

I ducked — too late.

The tip scraped across my forehead, leaving a burning line.

Blood welled instantly, warm, heavy.

My breath broke apart.

She had made me sprint all the way from the inn, and now the forest itself spun around me.

If I calculate her angles right… she’s looking for the opening. Next strike: the heart. Game over.

And there it was.

She lunged, dagger aimed straight at my chest.

Now.

I caught her arm mid-thrust, squeezing until my knuckles cracked.

A shock — the blade dropped into the moss.

I yanked her toward me, twisted, drove my fist into her stomach.

Perfect.

She folded.

I grabbed her hood and yanked it down in one swift motion.

“Finally got you…”

I froze.

Underneath — a mask. Strange waves etched into it.

“…What? Seriously?”

I reached to tear it off.

No time.

A flash of pain exploded at the back of my head.

My vision blurred instantly, stars danced in every direction.

I collapsed, completely knocked out.

“Care to explain why it took you so long?”

The leader’s dry voice cracked like a whip.

“Sorry… I had to make sure I finished him. Otherwise he would’ve followed us all the way back.”

The cloaked girl dragged her words, like it was obvious.

“…I see.”

That same neutral, almost cold tone.

“But—how the hell did he last this long? He’s just human, no Yūgen, nothing!”

That one spoke in rapid-fire bursts, words tripping over each other.

“Hey. Wake up.”

A soft voice, almost a whisper.

“Stop.”

The leader again, sharp.

“Huh? Why?”

The jittery one nearly lost it.

“He’s faking.”

Calm. Cutting.

“What?! No way, we saw him drop!”

The machine-gun guy again.

“No. He dodged at the last moment. He’s been tracking us since the start.”

The leader, implacable.

Oh, great. He saw through me instantly. And this other idiot kept poking my head with his stupid stick… really starting to piss me off.

“Hey, get up.”

The soft voice again, the stick scratching at my scalp.

“Fine, fine! I get it! I’ll stop faking… and you, put that stick away before I bite it in half.”

I stood up, brushing off my clothes like nothing happened.

Four masks stared back at me. Seriously, what’s with this fashion? These were the same guys who tied me to a tree this morning.

And the one I’d been fighting… was a girl?!

Great. I hit a girl. If my mom finds out, I’m dead.

“Oh, can you stop staring already?”

The nervous one jabbed a finger at me, ears twitching.

“Seriously, you’re one weird human.”

The other girl smirked.

“Oops… sorry.”

I raised my hands, all innocent.

“Wait a sec… Why do you keep saying ‘human’? You mean… you’re not?”

I arched an eyebrow at them.

They exchanged glances, as if I’d just solved the riddle of the century.

“We’re hybrids.”

The leader’s grave voice dropped like a guillotine.

Ah. That explained the pointy ears and the twitching tails.

“Hybrids… like, human mixed with… local magic stuff?”

I waved vaguely at the air.

Silence. Three froze.

The cloaked girl I’d punched in the stomach glared at me, then spoke, calm but sharp:

“You really are ignorant.”

“Hey, stop playing mysterious and just spit it out.”

I crossed my arms, annoyed.

“In this kingdom, hybrids are treated as objects. Not as living beings. All because of the king and his hunger for power.”

“Charming…”

I whistled between my teeth.

She kept her gaze locked on me.

“And this city is the poorest because its people dared to rebel. The king controls the guards, suffocates everything.”

“Hmmm.”

I felt anger rising. Why was I even getting mad? This wasn’t my world.

She shrugged lightly.

“These three were captured and imprisoned. I chose to free them. And you, mister curious, just stumbled into my explosive bottle.”

“Ahaha… yeah, that explains a lot.”

I scratched the back of my head.

“Why tell me all this?”

“You wanted answers, didn’t you? There they are.”

They were already turning to leave, like the conversation was over.

“Wait! At least your names?”

The leader glanced back at me one last time.

“Next time. Not tonight.”

And in a heartbeat, they melted into the shadows, leaving me alone in the forest.

Great. Perfect moment for a Nemesis to show up and eat me.

I had barely started moving when I nearly ran into Ignis.

“Ignis… is it really you?”

She gave me a small smile and nodded.

“Yes, it’s me. Come on. It’s night and we still have to finish the quest.”

Phew… close call. It was really her.

We started walking, but instead of leaving the forest, she led us deeper into the shadows of the trees.

“Uh… Ignis, why are you going this way?”

“Well… because that’s where more Nemesis are.”

Oh, sure… makes sense. But wait a second… why isn’t there a single sound when she walks?

“Ignis… why don’t you make any noise? And… your hat… where did it go?”

She turned slowly, a strange smile on her lips. Definitely not her usual smile.

“Akira… you ask way too many questions.”

POV – Ignis

I was sprinting through the city alleys when I ran into Akira.

“Hey! Seriously? You go out without saying anything?”

A small smirk. No way I’d just let him complain.

“Sorry… I felt something weird… and there’s a Nemesis nearby. Come on, move!”

Huh. Normally he would’ve grumbled. But now… he followed almost cheerfully. Interesting.

“You’re oddly motivated tonight… did you drink some kind of magic coffee or what?”

He blinked. “Huh?”

“Yeah… I mean, you’re not acting like yourself.”

I shrugged, letting out a sharp laugh. No time to waste on details.

“You remember the mark I left on you?”

“Uh… yeah.”

I rolled my eyes. I didn’t even remember telling him I’d marked him.

“Listen closely, Fake Akira. You’re going to take me to the real one, or… I’ll show you exactly why I’m the coolest mage in this kingdom.”

A sly smile spread across my face. He blinked, already thrown off. Haha, perfect.

“What?! I’m not a fake!”

“Oh really?”

I stepped closer, hand ready to launch a little spell to rattle his brain.

“Then get ready… because I plan on making you run a little.”