The Truth

Enshin’s eyes fluttered open.

Ugh… that hurts.

Pain shot through his ribs, he groaned, clutching his side. Every breath made him wince. Every small movement screamed of the fight he’d just survived.

Shit. The red-masked guy, how the hell did he cancel my magic?

If he could do that to a whole area it would be a real disaster.

Lost in his thoughts, he slowly realized he was in an unfamiliar place.

Where am I?

He blinked, scanning the room.

Posters covered the walls, showing famous illusionists in action and anime illustrations of fantasy worlds.

A stack of manga leaned against a bookshelf, colorful covers showing monsters and epic duels.

Gadgets were scattered across the desk and floor : small mechanical arms, coiled wires, tiny cogs, tools of every shape and size.

And then… his eyes landed on Rei.

The boy was asleep at the desk, head resting on one hand, elbow propped up like he had just nodded off mid-thought.

Enshin stared at the young boy , a flicker of disbelief crossed his eyes.

His mind flashed back to the battle with the demons.

He had been powerless, completely helpless while Rei unflinching, Clever and Fearless.

A faint smile tugged at Enshin’s lips.

Saved by a kid.

But confusion lingered.

Who was this boy?

Could he be a half-yokai? Or just an ordinary human with extraordinary skill?

And that yokai rabbit… why was it helping him?

So many questions. So many doubts. But one thing was certain : this was no ordinary boy.

Then he shifted slightly, testing his ribs. Pain shot through him, sharp and biting. A low groan escaped him as his muscles tensed

“Ugh… it really hurts,” he muttered.

Rei twitched at the sound, blinking awake as he’d been dozing lightly at his desk.

“Oh! Mister… you’re finally awake. Are you… okay?” His voice trembled a little.

“You can call me Enshin.”

The injured man gave a small shrug.

“I’ll live. Don’t worry about me. But you…?” He scanned Rei, concern in his eyes.

“I’m fine! Not hurt at all,” Rei said, rubbing his eyes, a faint smile tugged at his lips.

Enshin’s eyes narrowed, a flash of irritation crossed his face.

“You know that was incredibly stupid! You could have died!” he snapped, voice sharp.

Rei blinked, then shrugged

“I know… but what was I supposed to do? Just watch you get killed?”

Enshin groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead.

“Yes! You were lucky your little bluff with the police worked. What would you have done if it hadn’t scared them off?”

Rei chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.

“Ahaha… I’m not sure. But I’d like to think I’d find something.”

Enshin exhaled slowly, feeling both exhausted and amazed.

His eyes softened for a moment, then narrowed again, trying to process the sheer audacity, and courage, of this boy.

He shook his head.

Unbelievable.

A tense silence hung between them.

Then Enshin shifted, clearing his throat, eyes flicking to the boy.

“So… do you believe in magic?”

Rei’s eyes sparkled , a tiny grin tugged at his lips.

“Of course I’m a magician!”

Enshin raised an eyebrow. “I mean… real magic. With yokai and exorcists… like in manga.”

He gestured toward the shelf stacked with colorful volumes.

Rei hesitated, frowning. Memories flickered behind his eyes. Adults and classmates laughing when he insisted magic was real.

Then he met Enshin’s gaze, serious now.

The young boy remembered the incredible battle he had witnessed just moments ago.

“I… I believe in magic. Real magic,” he said, nodding firmly.

Enshin curved his lips in a small, teasing smile

“Oh … really? Why?”

Rei took a deep breath , his hands clenched slightly, voice trembling.

“When I was little… my mom took me to a magic show. I loved it. But … but after the show, in the parking lot, a monster attacked us.”

Enshin stiffened at the word monster.

“My mom… she tried to protect me and she got hurt,”

Rei continued, flinching at the memory. His fingers curled around the edge of the desk.

“But then… the magician stepped in. He saved us.”

He hesitated, fists tightening briefly.

“He used fire magic. Real fire and the monster ran away.”

Enshin’s jaw tightened, a low hum of disbelief escaped him.

A monster attacked him and that ‘illusionist’ was actually a fire mage? What an incredible story… if it is true.

Enshin’s gaze hardened slightly.

“What happened to your mother?”

“She wasn’t badly hurt,” he said.

His eyes dropped, shoulders sagging as if carrying a weight he couldn’t put down.

“But… since then, she goes to the hospital a lot, and doctors don’t know why”

“I see,” Enshin replied.

A long pause followed, thoughts sharp and racing.

If the monster was real, then she might be infected by Yōki. Something no regular doctor could ever cure.

“Can I… see her?” he asked quietly.

“She’s at the hospital right now,” Rei replied softly.

Enshin paused, then added

“Now that I think about it… there’s no one at home? If your father saw a stranger, injured, in his son’s room… he’d be surprised.”

Rei waved his hand.

“Don’t worry about that. My dad is on a business trip, so we’re alone.”

“I see.”

A heavy silence settled between them. The air thick, charged with unspoken thoughts.

Neither moved. Neither spoke.

Enshin’s eyes softened for a brief moment, then narrowed. A frown crossed his brow as he calculated silently.

So this kid has no power, I can’t invite him to the tournament. But then how did he summon a yokai?

Enshin opened his mouth to speak—

Grrrrrr.

His stomach growled loudly, echoing in the quiet room.

Rei froze.

“Oh , Wait here! I’ll make something quick!”

Before Enshin could answer, the boy was already out of the room.

Silence returned.

Enshin exhaled slowly, shoulders sagging, and reached into his coat. Then he pulled out a cigarette and lighter.

Click.

He leaned closer to the open window and smoked in silence, lost in his thoughts.

BOOM!

A sudden crash from the desk made Enshin flinch.

Smoke spiraled upward, curling around the scattered gadgets.

The rabbit hovered above the desk, ears twitching, eyes glowing softly.

Enshin blinked, heart skipping a beat.

Wait… the yokai just appeared? Without Rei summoning it?

Even stranger, it didn’t pop out of the hat like it was supposed to.

He froze for a moment, trying to make sense of it all. Then a small, sharp smile tugged at his lips as he glared at the rabbit.

“Perfect timing. I wanted to talk with you.”

The rabbit tilted its head.

“Talk? About what?”

“Why are you following that kid?” he asked

“Because Rei is my master.”

“I know that,” Enshin snapped. “But why? How can he summon you?”

The rabbit blinked. “Summon?”

“Yes. Invoke. Call you.”

“Oh.” The rabbit nodded. “Because he made me.”

Silence.

Enshin’s cigarette slipped from his fingers and fell out the window.

“He what?”

“He made me,” the rabbit repeated. “So I must follow master’s orders.”

Enshin’s thoughts exploded.

Made you? Is Child? Then Rei is a Half-yōkai? No … wait, what?

He coughed violently, pain stabbing through him as a sharp taste of blood coated the back of his throat.

The rabbit panicked.

“Oh no you hurt. I need to call Master Rei?!”

“No … wait.”

Something caught his eye behind the rabbit. A long, thin appendage dangled strangely.

A tail? I don’t remember seeing that before…

He squinted.

“…Come closer.”

The rabbit floated toward him, ears twitching. Its paws hovered nervously in the air.

Enshin’s brow furrowed slightly, lips tightening as his mind raced.

He reached out and grabbed the strange appendage.

At the end something familiar. A cable. A USB cable.

Enshin lifted his gaze and saw the other end plugged directly into the rabbit’s back.

He yanked the cable free and immediately froze.

His eyes widened slightly as the pieces clicked in his mind, a flash of realization hitting him.

“…No way,” Enshin whispered, his voice barely audible.

The rabbit spun around, ears flaring, front paws pressed to its cheeks, as if caught in an awkward moment.

“Oh no, Mister! Where are you touching?!” it squeaked, voice high and panicked.

Enshin blinked, momentarily speechless.

“Sorry … But .. You’re… you’re a robot?”

“Yes,” the rabbit said flatly. “What else would I be?”

Enshin facepalmed.

“…I’m an idiot.”

He looked up again, eyes sharp now.

“Wait. You’re saying Rei BUILT you?”

“Yes. His parents wouldn’t buy a real rabbit and Master Rei says every magician needs one.”

Enshin stared. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut.

This kid had no magic but he had something else. And suddenly, he understood.

Even if magic failed, Rei could still turn the tide of battle.

I need him at the tournament.