CHAPTER 54: NIGHT OF BLOOD

The insistent buzz of his phone against the silk pillow was a discordant note in the quiet luxury of Haruto’s bedroom. He stirred, annoyance flickering through his semi-conscious mind. Who dared disturb his sacred sleep? Especially tonight.

His arm tightened almost imperceptibly around Satsuki, her soft breath a gentle rhythm against his chest. She was utterly captivating in her slumber, a picture of serene beauty, her dark hair fanned out against the pristine white sheets.

With a groan that he carefully suppressed, Haruto reached for his phone, squinting at the glowing screen. A message. From Jun. At this hour? His brow furrowed. "Help. At my place. They’re... they’re real. It’s a girl, white hair, super powers, they’re fighting, I don’t know what to do, please help!"

Haruto scoffed silently. That guy always with his overactive imagination, fueled by too much anime. He probably dreamt up some fantastical scenario and, in his panic, mistook it for reality. A prank, most likely. Or perhaps he’d just had a vivid nightmare. Haruto was about to dismiss it, to silence the phone and drift back into the comforting warmth of Satsuki’s embrace.

But then, a prickle of unease, a cold sensation like a spider crawling up his spine, made him pause. It was a sensation he rarely felt, a flicker of intuition that had saved him more times than he cared to admit. A *bad feeling*. It wasn’t the urgency of Jun’s words, but the raw, unadulterated fear he could almost *feel* emanating from the message itself. There was no theatrical flair, no exaggerated drama. Just pure, unadulterated panic.

Very gently, Haruto eased himself away from Satsuki, his movements practiced and silent. He paused for a moment, making sure her breathing remained even, her expression peaceful. Her beauty, even in sleep, was breathtaking, almost hypnotic. He lingered, a fleeting thought of simply ignoring Jun and returning to his peaceful night. But the premonition, that unsettling chill, persisted. With a soft sigh, he slipped out of the bed, careful not to disturb her, and moved silently towards his window.

The night was painted in dim lights and stretching shadows. Somewhere in the distance, the faint flicker of a skirmish pulsed against the quiet hum of the city—barely noticeable, but there. Jun’s place was far from the chaos, tucked away in a quieter, more ordinary part of town.

He dressed quickly, then summoned a sword, then jump on the blade, controlling it to fly through the night sky, gliding from building to building, a silent, dark silhouette against the backdrop of the slumbering town.

As he drew closer to Jun’s neighborhood, the faint glow intensified, accompanied by muted thuds and cracks that spoke of struggle. He landed silently on a tall apartment building opposite Jun’s, his sharp gaze immediately pinpointing the chaotic scene unfolding in his friend’s room.

The sight that greeted him made his blood run cold. Jun’s room was a wreck, debris everywhere. And there, amidst the ruin, was a girl with flowing white hair, her form shimmering faintly with light, clearly battered and bleeding. Three dark, shadowy figures, their power palpable even from this distance, were relentlessly assaulting her. And Jun, huddled in a corner, his face a mask of terror, was suddenly enveloped with the girl in a strange, shimmering green dome. A "dimensional shield".

Haruto’s eyes widened. This was no prank. This was real. And it was far worse than he could have imagined.

He stood there, framed against the brilliant moon, four shimmering Moonlight Swords floating ominously around him.

He looked up at the sky. The moon, a perfect, luminous orb, was at its zenith, bathing the city in a brilliant, almost spectral light. It was a full moon, its power at its absolute peak. This was ideal.

Haruto extended his hands, palms facing the luminous orb above. The very moonlight seemed to respond to his call, flowing towards the swords.

From his outstretched hands, the moonlight gradually condensed on the sword blades, and the four swords began to glow like four miniature moons.

The three black-clad figures, Kai, Goro, and Rei, still focused on the baffling green shield that protected Jun and the white-haired girl, suddenly felt a shift in the air, a new presence. They looked up, their shadowed faces turning towards the rooftop.

Haruto immediately thrust his hand forward, shooting one sword straight toward Kai’s head like a bolt of lightning!

Kai’s pupils shrank in shock—his instincts screamed danger as the Moonlight sword closed in at terrifying speed. He summoned a Vortex in midair, its dark maw swallowing the sword’s light whole. But the moment the attack vanished, another gleaming blade materialized in Haruto’s grip.

"Too slow!" Haruto’s voice cut through the chaos as the second strike slashed horizontally, severing Kai’s arm in a spray of crimson. A guttural scream tore from Kai’s throat, his pain echoing across the battlefield as his two companions whirled around in alarm. Seizing the opening, Haruto flicked his wrist—two more luminous swords erupted from his palms, forcing the remaining enemies to leap back in panic.

Yuki, seeing their hesitation, didn’t waste a second. With a swift, fluid motion, she swung her own blade, releasing a crescent-shaped slash that ripped through the air. The two attackers barely had time to register the attack before the shockwave sent them skidding backward, their defenses shattered.

Haruto charges forward—his blade flaring in full force, creating an arc of moonlight. Yuki follows, her blade emitting a cold white energy as she slashes diagonally. The two strikes collide, exploding into a shockwave that tears through the ground. The last thing Kai sees is their angry eyes before darkness swallows him.

Another sword gleamed in Haruto’s hand, its glow illuminating the trio’s horrified faces. Realizing they stood no chance, Kai gritted his teeth, clutching his bleeding stump. *"Tch... Retreat!"* With a final glare, the three figures melted into the shadows, vanishing as quickly as they had appeared.

The battlefield fell silent, leaving only the fading glow of Haruto’s blades—and the echoes of a fight already won.