Chapter 1
Prologue
Phew . . . Good grief.
A young boy let out a heavy sigh, looking down at the disintegrating corpse of a grotesque creature.
In a deserted parking lot close to the bustling city streets, dusk crept in slowly during what's known as the twilight hour.
That's where the boy had once again successfully vanquished his foe.
He had protected the town from grotesque creatures bent on bringing death and destruction to this world.
By the time I arrived, the battle was already over.
Thus, I had no idea how he defeated the enemy. Whether he unleashed a wave of energy from his hands, summoned a legendary sword, or maybe even fired beams from his eyes . . . the possibilities were endless, but it wasn’t my concern.
Because that was a realm I should not step into.
Ordinary people without any powers like me shouldn't meddle recklessly.
Still . . . even if the enemy appeared out of nowhere, was it really okay to fight in a parking lot? There are like three cars flipped over.
While I was preoccupied with such concerns, the grotesque remains of the creature continued to evaporate.
The creature I had briefly glimpsed on the main street, once three or four meters tall, had now turned into a sludgy, solid mass about the size of a pickling stone.
Why do these creatures always seem to prefer vanishing or exploding in the end? Could it be some kind of cover-up? Well, from a human perspective, it certainly saves the trouble of dealing with the corpse.
Well then, should I start playing my part now?
Once I confirmed that the grotesque creature had completely disappeared, I dashed out from behind the utility pole and ran toward the boy.
Putting on a convincing act as if I’d just arrived, I call out to him from behind, my voice cracking slightly.
H-hey Ryuga! So this is where you were!
Ah, Ichiro.
Ryuga quickly turned around, and for a brief moment, a look of concern flashed across his face.
Relax. I don’t know anything, and I haven’t seen anything. The thought that a grotesque creature was here? Never even crossed my mind. And the faint smell of decay? I’m not bothered by that either.
Before he could say anything, I blurted out in a flustered rush.
I panicked when you suddenly disappeared! Let’s get out of here, quick! That creature might still be close by!
It feels odd saying that to the very one who defeated it, but it can't be helped.
After all, I’m supposed to be completely oblivious to his secret identity. That’s just the way it is.
Look, Ryuga! The cars are flipped over like pancakes! It must be the creature's doing! I'm telling you, it's dangerous to stay here!
It’s okay, Ichiro. It seems like the creature has vanished.
I was desperately urging us to flee the scene, but Ryuga just gave a casual shrug.
Wait, is he going to be honest about it now? After all the trouble I went through to wait until the creature disappeared . . .
V-vanished? What do you mean?
Hmm . . . I'm not sure myself, but until just a moment ago, a creature was lying defeated over there. It seems like someone fought it and won.
It was you. You defeated it.
When I found the creature's body, it was barely recognizable. But I’m pretty sure it was the same one that appeared on the main street.
Y-you’re serious?
Yeah.
Who on earth could have taken down such a creature . . .
Who knows. But I'm sure it’s all right now.
Saying this, Ryuga grinned.
He had a refined, androgynous face, the kind that might suit cross-dressing surprisingly well. His straight, silky hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, his skin was moderately tanned and healthy-looking, and he had long, slender legs.
For a second-year high school student, he was a bit petite and lean, making his school blazer look slightly big on him. But likely, beneath that uniform lay a well-defined, feline physique, with lean, sculpted muscles.
Yes, he definitely had a certain charisma—just what you'd expect from a protagonist.
Come on, Ichiro, let’s head back.
Y-yeah.
As Ryuga started walking, I quickly followed. Normally, no one would be satisfied with such a vague explanation, but I didn't push for more.
If he said so, then the incident was over.
This was the end of that episode.
The boy endowed with supernatural powers, who fights unknown creatures in secret.