The Border Between Life and Death

Hierarukī no gādian : The Guardian of Hierarchy

( He-ye-ra-ru-ki-no-shi-gosha )

ヒエラルキーの守護者

Written by Sai Dura

WARNING - THIS BOOK CONTAINS EXTREME VIOLENCE, SUICIDE, BAD LANGUAGE, OFFENSIVE IDEOLOGIES, AND POTENTIALLY TRAUMATISING DESCRIPTIONS. READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.

Main Cast list : ( SKIP THIS PART IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS )

( Doesn't reveal too much information and only includes some important characters)

Takashi Yaotzin Azuma - ( 16 )  This is Takashi, our main character. He's lived his entire life in pain. In his previous existence, he was an ordinary youngster who was abused by the Fukumotos due to his impairment. In the new world, he possesses Yaotzin's celestial powers. He has short black hair and broad black wings. His left eye is blazing crimson and features the kanji sign for strength.

Yaeko Fukumoto - ( 17 )  This is Takashi's older stepsister. She has a detrimental, narcissistic attitude towards Takashi. She enjoys torturing him, tying him up, biting his neck, and sucking his blood. She is an absolute scum, but her extremely appealing appearance allows her to circumvent punishment. She will come back as a high ranking devil.

Kasumi Azrael - (????)  Takashi's archangel companion. Takashi is unaware of Kasumi's gender and treats it as a guy. They are great companions and have an indestructible relationship despite being extreme opposites.

Kasumi can allow Takashi to unleash his celestial angelic power. Azrael's supernatural angelic power allows him to immediately dissolve whatever its wings' feathers touch. It wears a long black garment that covers its entire body. A heavy shadow covers its face, disguising its identity.

Tsubame Aoki - ( 21 )  Tsubame is a mature-looking lady who appears professional among others despite having infantile views. She sips black coffee to make herself appear older than she is, but dislikes the bitter taste. She enjoys giving Takashi advice, but prefers to spend alone time with him. She has long, black hair with fiery red accents. Her 'personality' is quite large, and her womanly figure is clearly defined. She has pale, white skin and two black and ruby horns. She also has a very black halo that floats on her head.

Her demonic retribution skill involves unleashing the roots of hell to grapple and puncture her foes. She enjoys impaling her victims and presenting them as trophies to Takashi.

Akira Damballa Ando - ( 17 )  Akira is Damballa's headmistress. She is Takashi's mentor and personal trainer. Her exceptional ability to fully manage her demonic retribution ability places her among the most formidable students. She has an immense craving for Takashi's blood and will occasionally break into his dorm room to obtain it directly from the source. She will ask him out on dates, stating it is for training, but in truth, she just wants to spend time with him. Her demonic retribution ability is Damballa's scythe.

This particular weapon can only be wielded by members of the Damballa family. Each slash from this weapon feels like a bite from a vicious serpent. Hit it to the ground to create a brief bubble that protects you from all projectiles. It barely lasts half a second; therefore, you must be precise in timing. She has short red hair and a little bow on top of her head. She also has five completely crimson horns and considerably paler skin.

Naomi Celka Miyahara - ( 19 )  Naomi is the chief archangel who possesses divine angelic abilities (D.A.P). Her unique ability allows her to distribute harmful levels of light from the hands of her wings. She has 15 sets of wings, which total 180 hands. Only one's power is sufficient to defeat high-ranking demons.

All angels dread Celka and obey her orders. Naomi has only one true love: Takashi. She will slay her own kin to acquire Takashi. Her strong love for him stems from his appearance, power, talent to employ both factions' powers, kind characteristics, and beautiful eyes. She absolutely adores everything about him. She has very pale skin with flowing white hair that falls down to her thighs. 

Takashi is kidnapped several times and subjected to strange treatment, but he always escapes. ಠ_ಠ 

Honoka Furuya - ( 24 )  Honoka is the dorm mother at the female demonatorium. She works day and night to keep everyone healthy and positive. Because of her alluring appearance, male devils are frequently asking her out.

She is dedicated to her career and has a strong dislike for pervy men. The only exception is Takashi, whom she admires for his self-control. Honoka is unable to use any special abilities, although she possesses incredible magical and physical strength. 

Asami Astaroth Minamoto - ( 19 )  Asami is a very intelligent woman who enjoys learning about various civilizations. She possesses an exceptionally exclusive skill, which she keeps concealed. Her ability is realm conversion. This particular power allows her to use her demonic retribution to gain temporary vision and movement in another realm from the coordinates at which she is currently standing. She adores and cares profoundly for her sister, Irina. She is a member of the Astaroth family, which is highly affluent and possesses many high-ranking demons. Her bond with Takashi began because she wanted to learn more about his background. She is the only person who believes Takashi is from another world.

Irina Astaroth Minamoto - ( 15 )  Irina is the younger sister of Asami. She doesn't like to reveal much about herself but is actually depressed due to not being able to compare herself to her older sister. She also has the realm conversion ability but cannot supply enough demonic energy to use it, making her one of the weakest of the demons. Even despite all her limitations, she still has a deep bond with Takashi, as he is the only one willing to help her get stronger. She has a small black halo on her head. 

Author's note: 

'The first chapter in a novel usually piques the reader's interest. Many people would choose this book because they knew it involved demons, but they would be tempted to stop reading because those demons do not appear right away. I hope you give this book a shot since it grows intriguing as it progresses.

I am aware that there may be a lot of violence in this novel at first. Additionally, it will most likely convey the idea that killing is the main focus. However, as the story goes on, it does become a little more wholesome, so that's not totally accurate. 

The sole purpose of the writing style is to convey and illustrate the M/C's animosity towards his violent family. It also demonstrates how abuse may seriously harm a person's mental health and even inspire them to act in such a bizarre or abnormal way. 

Of course, my wish is that people would never even think to turn to such drastic measures and would instead look for support and assistance with their mental health. This is all a made-up story, and I have no connection to these characters in the slightest. Personally, I love my family and would never try to do this. Other than this, I hope you enjoy the tale of The Guardian of Hierarchy!' 

Prologue:

It was your average day in the academy for the Japanese student Takashi Azuma. Birds chirp, children learn, and bullying unfolds. The regular pandemonium does not surprise him. His life has already been so decimated . 

I'd never had the opportunity to experience a typical high school life, I was subjected to the same torture and abuse day in and day out. My classmates frequently tormented me due to the fact I was aesthetically distinct from the others. 

It all started five years ago when I was assaulted by a group of nihilistic people whom I had never seen or spoken to. As a trophy to prove their resolve, they tore off the left side of my face, ripping my eye out of its socket. By the time the police arrived, it was too late, and they had all departed from the scene. The things I lost that day lay an irreparable scar that commonly pierced through me from time to time. 

You would assume that even after all this torment, I would be pampered by an amiable, loving family, but this wasn't the case at all. Only 'he' motivated me to keep living.

Who could have predicted that I'd eventually end up fighting in a world where humans, demons, angels, devils, and nymphs coexisted?

Chapter 1: The Border Between Life and Death

"I have arrived with the groceries you requested." After all the hassle of maintaining an unnoticeable presence in school, I was tasked with going shopping for food. It wasn't a heavily time-consuming errand, but it sure felt as if I were only used to tasks like this.

As I thought of relaxing for the time being, I felt a suffocating presence that lingered around the room, filling the atmosphere with the thought of a potential dispute. 

"What took you so long?" Yaeko (my older sister) sat agitated in the living room, awaiting a response. With a disgusted expression, she stared deep into my single solitudinous eye. "Everybody knows that a defective tool is good for nothing, and following that ideology, you should just follow orders no matter how ridiculous the request may be." No matter what the task was, I had no say in whether I would participate or not. 

I followed her across the protracted hall, eventually leading me to her unlit room. Today is the day I would do it, the day I would retrieve my self-respect, the day where I would murder my older sister Yaeko. 

Ever since I had been adopted into the Fukumoto family after my mother had grievously died and my father had remarried, I experienced the same abuse from my sister and that evil stepmother of mine. 

The following year, I was assaulted by the infamous Yamaguchi tribe, resulting in the loss of my left eye. We were already struggling financially, and this extra monthly fee for my treatment took a large toll on our wellbeing. 

That was the final strand before Father left and never came back.

Yaeko would never have been able to fathom such an event happening, as she had already lost her late father, and now she had lost another.

I took a few cautious steps into the messy room, gingerly avoiding the sharp objects propped against the floorboards. The room was filled with darkness that enveloped whatever dared to enter. The creaking door that seemed to have been behind me abruptly shut hard against the wooden frame, vibrating the floor and all that stood on it. 

I was left alone with her in the darkness.

"I'm sure you can tell why you're here." She took a frantic step towards me, getting so close to the point where I could feel her breath against my cheeks. "It's all your fault, and you know that." I could feel my pulse shuddering as she spoke. "Father left us to not have to pay for your trivial medications."

She gave a contemporary grin, reaching deep into my pocket and meticulously pulling out the small, blunt pocket knife I kept covertly wedged in between my trousers. "Do you really think something as blunt as this could hurt your own big sister?".

I whimpered in denial and made an agile attempt to retrieve the knife Yaeko had been inspecting, but as I touched the handle, she perilously grabbed my raised arm and, with an unyielding grip, flung me across the room, landing with impunity onto her comfortable bed. 

With the intention of killing me, she sprang onto me.

Her cold hands wrapped vehemently around my neck. It was futile; no matter how hard I tried, I could never seem to have the courage to fight back against her narcissistic requests. 

"Pl..ea…se, le..tt m..e g…..". It was too late; I couldn't do it anymore. I had given in.

In the midst of the prolonged night, I awoke from my slumber, and the indignation of not being able to defend myself filled me with utter rage. The hard texture of the floor struck me with sudden pain. I could hardly move considering the fact that my neck had been engulfed with deep cuts and bite marks. 

This abhorrent woman was no different from a stray cat. I needed to get out of this house as soon as possible. As I carefully stood up in hopes of leaving the room, I noticed that the door had been locked with a strange padlock. It had a symbol that was a sort of variation between the head of a horse and the body of an eagle.

My mind recalled the fairy tale in which I fantasized about the resilience to travel like a horse and the freedom to fly like an eagle. Where have I heard something like this?

My sister's annoying light moaning as she slept interrupted my desperate attempt to recall the time I had heard the story. Obviously, there was no way to leave using the door unless I had the key.

 It was too dimly lit to look for my blunt pocket knife, which Yaeko had obstinately hidden in her blood-stained piles of garments. In a desperate manner, I looked around, seeking some sort of way out. But it was futile, as the only way would be to find a key for the strange padlock.

I cautiously crawled on all fours in the hope that I wouldn't make any alarming noises that might wake her up. It was a foolproof plan, or so I thought. The large floorboard before me made a vexatious creak that echoed sonorously throughout the room. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" Yaeko abruptly awoke from her deep sleep. Her alluring face was reticently shielded by her black, luscious strands. Her pale skin glistened in the moonlit bed chamber, leaving a protruding silhouette of a ghost-like figure. 

"Did you seriously think I would allow you to leave unscathed?" She got up from the stiffened position she had awoken from, divulging her hair and revealing the provoked expressions she had been harboring. I raised my trembling hand to feel the deep wounds she had inflicted, blood still leaking from them. 

My heart started to beat in resonance with the gratifying thought of killing her where she stood. I couldn't contain these mental thoughts anymore. I was consumed by rage, and I felt as if I could penetrate whatever threat got in my way.

The overwhelming fear left my body as I valiantly stood up to face the monster that towered over me. Her narcissistic expression quickly changed to a distraught glare, prompting her to take a careful step back. "Why are you looking at me like that? Has my charming finesse caught your eye?" Her foolish assumption brought me closer to ending her life, and now was the time to do it.

I rushed forward, getting a compact grip around her neck. As I wrestled her to the floor, I raised my pulsating fist, making the expression of my enemy become a desperate cry for help.