1 Chapter 01: The World Beyond

In Central Valley High, from Tokyo, Japan.

At the back of the academy, a group of junkies stomps over the miserable guy on the ground as they laugh on top of their lungs.

"Didn't you promise you'll give us the money by this morning, huh? Where is it now?"

The miserable guy was none other than Dammon Crassus. An average mob character you'll see in every academy. Like any other day, he's getting bullied again and again to the point he's starting to get tired of it by now. Everything seems so tiring from him at this point.

"I'm sorry… I don't have the money again today, my parents didn't give me an allowance this week… Please let me off, even if only this time.."

Randy stepped on his back once more and smiled.

"Like hell I would accept such a thing. We talked about it last time. Today is today!"

Dammon crouched and covered his head. There's no escape now… He could only wish it'll end sooner.

Randy smiled once more and shaped a fist, aiming to start kicking his back once more.

However, when his foot was about to hit his back…

It was suddenly stopped by someone's foot. Both their feet collided however, Randy's foot was overpowered by the other one and stopped.

"What the hell are you doing..?"

A sweet and enticing voice sounded beside Dammon.

Dammon looked up, only to see a beautiful lady with short black hair saved his ass. Her crimson red eyes looked so terrifying, Dammon could barely endure staring at her.

Randy shifted his gaze over the beautiful lady, and put on a tough, irritated face.

"Huh? And who the hell are you b*tch!?"

"Oh, you mean me?"

"Do you see any other b*tches around, huh??"

"Ahem…"

The beautiful lady kicked away his foot, before starting introducing herself.

A huge scary smile crept up upon her beautiful face, and soon her hands shaped into a fist.

"I'm the one who's going to kick your ass!"

The beautiful lady punched his stomach at sonic speed, and before everyone could see it, Randy flew over to the other side of the Academy trash bin, unconscious.

"Phew… I almost killed him. I even held back yet he was that weak…"

The beautiful lady stared at the other junkies with bloodlust.

"Do you guys want to end up like him too?"

"Ieeeckkk!!"

And like rats, they all ran over to Randy to carry him away, and left as fast as they could.

"Sighh…."

The beautiful lady let out a long sigh, before shifting her attention to Dammon.

"Are you going to sit there forever and be a pussy or are you going to stand up?"

"Ahh…"

Dammon froze into the ground, forcing the beautiful lady to make the move and offer him a hand.

"Come on up."

Dammon swallowed the saliva stuck in his throat, and took her hands. She seems really pretty up close. Although she seems cold and rude, her beauty never paled in comparison.

"What's your name?"

Dammon stared at her face wondering why she asked such a question. It was so dumb of him to be honest. The beautiful lady seemed so troubled as she let out another sigh and introduced herself instead.

"I'm Emi, Emi Whitney. 2nd year senior. Just really curious why you're letting yourself get beat up by them when you could have fought back. No ill intentions or whatsoever."

Dammon finally understood what she wanted to say.

"I'm Dammon… Dammon will do."

"Pretty secretive, huh?"

"I guess. Thank you for saving my ass earlier… It was so pathetic of me."

"Well you seem really pathetic, why don't you just fight back?"

Somehow, her words set ablaze feelings locked up inside him, and made him angrier than ever.

"You won't know since you're strong…"

Emi stared at his frustrated face and apologized.

"Oh… I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way."

"No, it's alright."

Soon enough, like a rain, the awkward silence soon descended upon them until they got in front of the school entrance, and bid farewell to each other.

Dammon went to his class, and like a leaf falling from a tree, the bell soon rang, and they all finally left the classroom.

Heading home dead tired, Dammon walked to the usual route he takes every time.

The chocolate shop at the side he always dines in everytime he has money, and coffee shops around, as well as food vendors everywhere. Nothing seems new or unusual. Everything was just right.

Until suddenly, Dammon looked up to the sky, and slowly, the blue evening sky turned crimson red without a notice, and when Dammon scanned his vicinity, everyone was gone.

What is happening?!?!

Dammon was so horrified, he couldn't utter a word out of his mouth.

The people dining from the chocolate store, and the people walking down the streets disappeared without a trace. It was as if Dassom was the only one on earth. Everyone disappeared except him.

Unfortunately, the nightmare was only starting…

The darkness expanded upon every corner.

The lights around the streets soon all faded out, until everything was pure darkness. It was barely even possible to spot any person walking by at this point. Dammon exploded into frustration.

Every possibility came afloat over his head, and he went panicked. Dammon was shaking under his breath. He looks so pathetic, like a scaredy cat.

The lights up ahead of the street slowly gained power, however, a shadow of a tall man soon appeared, seemingly bathing under the lights.

The tall man was 9 feet tall, he was wearing a cloak that seemed to be his skin, and every part of his was covered in shadow.

Dammon carefully studies his surroundings while his brows feel so shaky as he stares upon the tall man..

For some reason, his heart was screaming at him 'Danger!!' telling him to run away immediately.

The tall man's shadows expanded till the light was no more…

And from the darkness, a rough deep voice whispered from his ears.

"Do you bleed..?"

Dammon couldn't turn behind him. He could feel a presence standing upon his shadow.

The tall man rose up from his shadows and now, his appearance was more visible than ever.

The tall man was very skinny, he had long hands which had sharp long nails. The cloak that seemed to be part of his skin, was darkness that floats around his body. His red eyes gleamed a hue, there was slight happiness from it.

"After a very long time, I'll finally be so lucky to have my first meal. I'll cherish every bit of you, I promise."

The skinny longs hands of the tall man wandered from the air, until it finally crawled upon Dammon's shoulder. Traveling from his shoulder to his stomach…

Dammon was so frightened to the point he felt like he'd pass out any moment by now. Before he knew it, his breathing was starting to go so rough.

Only one thought remained in his head as his deathbed came to close.

'I'll be killed!!'

The sharp nails circled around his stomach, as the tall man slowly rubbed him.

Before long, blood started coming out from his stomach, and now, he's bleeding slowly as he starts to lose consciousness.

"Fall into a deep slumber, young lad."

The deep voice of the tall man rang from his ears.

And when the tall man was about to slice him in half with its very sharp nails.

"Heavee, hooo!"

Footsteps could be heard running from the darkness. The tall man was suddenly alerted, and when he scanned his surroundings, there it was, a figure of a slim and slender lady from the sky, jumping at him, with a sword from her hands, ready to cleave him into half.

The tall guy immediately sunk into Dammon's shadow, and when the lady with his sword descended, her blade hit nothing and slashed the asphalt into two, almost killing Dassom in the process.

Dammon was so terrified to the point, he ended up ducking down the moment he escaped from death.

"Ieecckkk!!!"

The beautiful lady searched everywhere and shouted in rage.

"Coward!! Come out you son of a b*tch!!"

The light from the street from very far lighted once more. And soon enough, a shadow appeared, coming out from it was the tall man in a cloak. It seemed to be so pissed off at the moment.

Dammon recognized the voice from behind him, and took the courage to take a look.

He raised his head up, and when his gaze finally fell upon its target. He saw a beautiful lady wearing the same academy outfit as his, with a sword from her right hand, there were nerves popping out from her eyes, her crimson red eyes gleamed a dangerous hue as she glared upon the tall man from afar.

It was none other than Emi Whitney.

Emi looked at Dammon with frowns from her face. She seemed to be in deep trouble.

"I didn't think I'd meet you again… What was it again?? Doomsday?"

"It's Dammon…"

Dammon took the courage and replied. Even though he was so frightened to death and confused right now. There's no way he'll let it off.

"Oh well, whatever."

Emi shifted her glare over the tall man hiding from the shadows.

She didn't expect such a creature would show up. Supposedly, they're the rare case, and shouldn't be often met. And moreover…

'Why is he here..?'

Emi took a glance from Dammon, before glaring at the tall man once more.

Emi dropped the thoughts coming to her head, and focused on the main goal for now…

The tall man screamed in response to her glare and prepared his sharp nails.

"Damn exorcist!! Disrupting my meal again!!"

Emi ignored the useless rattling of the tall man and charged at him. Her body was glowing in black and red hue, as she prepared to slice him.

But before she could even touch him… The tall man sunk into his shadow.

Emi slices off the air disrupting it, before slashing down.

However, before she could get him. His shadow soon melted and disappeared. In the end, Emi ended up slicing the asphalt once more, this time it created a larger damage to the ground.

"Tsk… He got away."

Dammon stared at her from afar with fears in his heart. It was like everything happened in a comic. It was so fast, he could barely catch up.

And from afar, Emi once more disappeared in a flash, and soon enough, she appeared in front of him like a ghost and offered him a hand.

"You okay..?"

Dammon hesitated before finally deciding to take her hand and get up.

Emi helped him get up before staring at his face again, full of questions.

"How did you get here..?"

However, it should not be Emi asking questions right now. It should be him.

Dammon braced himself and took the courage to ask her his questions.

"What happened..?"

"You almost lost your life."

"What…"

Emi figured out everything immediately after looking at his troubled frustrated face, and made her sword disappear.

Emi dropped her sword straight to the ground.

"Return to hell, Excalibur."

Before the sword could hit the ground, a small golden dimension appeared over it. The sword slided down the ground and disappeared without a trace.

The crimson red skies slowly turned into blue evening sky. And soon enough, the dimension cracked, finally reverting everything back to normal. The crowds now returned, Dammon was astonished by what he witnessed.

"Come with me, I'll explain everything to you."