“—Argh!”

An impact on her stomach made the little girl writhe in pain on the ground. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she did her best to hold them.

“What? Can't even endure one of my attacks? I even held back, you know?” Her aggressor sneered, looking down at her.

The statement made the girl grit her teeth. In a grand display of bravado, she struggled to get back on her feet and tried her best to ignore the pain. ‘This is nothing!’—she thought, unable to accept being underestimated. With bloodshot eyes, she looked at the other kid with complete defiance.

The aggressor simply smirked.

A second attack assaulted her on her shoulder, a third on her knees, and a fourth on her head. The girl could only wince as she once again felt the cold feeling of the snow on her back. Drowned by the pain, she didn't even realize the trail of blood running down her forehead. And yet, despite everything, she held back her tears.

She was not going to cry. Not from something this simple.

She tightened her hands around the snow to endure, closed her mouth to not bit her tongue, and tried her best to maintain her eyes open.

“Hmph.” The aggressor turned away seemingly losing interest. “Weakling!”

“W-wait!”

The girl tried to stand up in a hurry, failed, and slipped on all four. She didn't give up, though. She extended her hands toward the back of the boy and crawled to follow his step. And yet, in just an instant, the boy's figure disappeared with a big gust of cold wind.

Left alone on the ground, the girl's expression twisted from defiance to despair and frustration.

The realization that she couldn't catch up to the boy hurt her more than any of the injuries she had received.

“Come on, pretty girl!”

In a certain back alley, out of people's view, a rowdy man spoke in an imposing manner. His right hand was slammed against a wall, trapping a single, terrified high school girl in front of him.

“Let's go.” The man said with a nasty grin. “I promise you I can bring you to place you've never seen before!”

Seeing the girl trembling, unable to even look at his face gave the man a shiver of excitement. After licking his lips, he brought up his other free hand to the girl's cheek in a gentle yet disgusting way and made her forcefully look in his eyes. The expression the girl had then fueled the man's sadistic side to the brink.

“W-wait!” The girl managed to finally shout as the man began to feel her body.

“Let's go to my house, beautiful,” The man approached his face and whispered with his smelly breath on the girl's ear. “Come on!”

He became even more forceful, touching the girl in inappropriate places. Despite the girl's pitiful attempt at breaking free of his clutches, his smile only grew viler, and in a nauseating way, he licked the tears that came out of his victim's eyes. This was all incredibly thrilling for him.

A small laugh escaped his destroyed lips.

“Excuse me!”

Thankfully, or unfortunately for him, someone finally interrupted his despicable act.

That someone was, to his delight, a girl, too. At first glance, she was similar to the victim. 16 years old and in her second year of high school. They probably had the same height, too, which was around 165 cm. Where she differed from the currently crying girl, however, was in her perfectly sculpted, beautiful face reminding him of a doll; her bright pair of green eyes and her long, silky black hair running down till her waist.

To describe her using the his perspective: the new girl was, in all points, a better catch than the victim he was currently holding. The man's annoyance at being interrupted quickly disappeared and instead, he let out a whistle.

“It's... evident that she didn't give you her consent.” The new girl, Rin, said. “...Would you please stop?”

The man finally let go of his victim, though, not because he was asked to, but, because he had a new victim in mind.

“Is she your friend, perhaps?” He said while licking his lips.

Rin watched him carefully as he mischievously advanced toward her. There wasn't that much distance separating them and coupled with how narrow the space was, the man was convinced he could catch the girl easily even if she tried to run.

“There's no need to be scared, you know? It's not like I was doing anything bad.” The man drew closer and closer. “I was about to make her feel reaaal good!”

Rin took a step back. And then another.

Reacting in kind, the man increased his pace and widened his grin.

“How about you join us? It's gonna be awesome, you know? I'm sure you'll get hooked once you've experienced your first time!”

Satisfied with the decreased distance, the man finally extended his hands to touch the girl's shoulder.

He missed it.

“Hm?” Slightly confused, he extended his hands again and Rin dodged it all the same. “No need to be scared, I said!”

More aggressive this time, he used both of his hands, practically leaping at the small girl with even more excitement.

Rin smiled.

She sidestepped out of his path in one swift motion and used her delicate feet to trip the man to the ground. A grunt and a curse resounded. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Rin silently beckoned the first victim to run away. Which she did— tears in her eyes—without asking questions.

“You bitch!” The man quickly stood up in an angry fit.

Rin stayed calmly in front of him in a way that prevented him from pursuing the escaping girl. He clicked his tongue and stomped one of his big feet forward in an attempt to intimidate the black-haired girl. Unaffected, Rin just took one step back while maintaining her smile.

“Hmph! You have resistance, can't say I dislike that.” The man said while roughly wiping out the dust in his face.

Rin said nothing.

The man took another step forward after he regained his disgusting smirk. The girl just mimicked him and took a step backward while also wearing a confident smirk, as though mocking him. The man grew slightly annoyed and decided to stop his game of intimidation.

Instead, he ran ahead and savagely thrust his hand forward.

‘You don't learn, do you?’ Rin couldn't help but think.

She easily evaded his blow and matched his pace in walking backward. It was quite a hilarious sight to see. The man continued his pointless assault while Rin continued to lead him backward.

“You...!”

The man had already stopped playing nice and was already throwing punches and kicks at the girl but he missed all of them.

“Stop moving around bitch!!”

After a good while of playing tag, by some kind of miracle, out of breath, the man finally got a handle on Rin. With a powerful grip, he grabbed the collar of the girl's school uniform and brought her up to his eye level.

It was, frankly speaking, quite painful for the girl.

The man laughed loudly. “Hehe! What now, Cunt!?” He shouted with batted breath while increasing his grip strength.

It was painful but Rin maintained her smile. She brought up her hand atop the man's and exerted some pressure on them. “How about... we remain civilized, mister?”

“Hah?”

The man was just about to punch the girl when he suddenly realized the countless gazes that bore down on him. Whispers were going around, and some people were already taking out their phones, probably to inform the authorities.

“When did we...!” The man began to frantically look around himself.

In his eyes were reflected the usual snowy path of Myriad City— In his eyes were countless witnesses of whatever terrible act he was going to do.

“...Mister?” Rin innocently repeated.

“Kuh!”

The man clicked his tongue and looked at the girl in his hand with deep anger. Gone was his lust. Momentarily increasing his grip strength, he took one last look at his surrounding before violently throwing Rin away.

“I'll remember this, bitch!” He said without looking at the girl.

Finally, he walked away while kicking things in his path.

Rin looked at his back for a while, making sure he was far away before letting out a misty breath. The motivation of people like him was something she'd never understand. What did he expect, really? It might have been late but the sun was still out—People were still out. Even if it wasn't her, surely, someone else would have stepped in and stopped him. Especially since the place was just a few meters away from school grounds. And, more importantly, it was snowing. It was always snowing. What was he intending to do out here? In the cold? With a girl?

Rin blushed and immediately shook her head, trying not to think too deeply about the rather... vivid image that appeared in her mind. She didn't understand the man, but, thankfully, she didn't need to.

‘Let's leave it at that...’

“I just knew you'd be here!” A loud voice brought her back to reality.

Turning her head to look at who was talking, Rin unconsciously blurted out a name. “Celia...”

Standing at her left side wearing a slightly amused yet baffled expression was another girl her age. Celia, as Rin called her, had unnatural orange-colored hair that was cut short around her neck, and had a pair of red vivid eyes plastered on her fine, smooth face. She was five feet tall, precisely 163 cm, and thus was slightly shorter.

As for her attire, it was, nearly in all points, similar to the black-haired girl's. The design might have been slightly different but the two of them both wore large, stuffy cloaks, a pair of black colored gloves, and the same winter school uniform that their school mandated. Aside from that, Rin had a black-colored device attached like a collar on her neck: A regulator. An amazing piece of technology that regulated her body temperatures to keep her as warm as possible.

“People were glaring at this place like some kind of trouble was happening, so...” Celia smiled, looking at Rin with exasperation as she slightly shook her head. “It just makes so much sense that my violent friend would be here.”

“Violent?” Rin returned the smile while arranging the collar of her clothes.

“You like to be in trouble, is what I mean!”

Rin chuckled a little. After finishing her adjustment, she finally began to walk, passing past her friend.

“I... couldn't just look away.” She whispered.

According to her phone, it was currently 16:37. And that was bad considering she had an appointment at precisely 5 o'clock. She was in a hurry, and God knows just how much she disliked being late. Of course, that was not to say she regretted saving the previous victim from the would-be rapist.

‘Thinking about it now, maybe I should report that man...’

Once again her thoughts were interrupted, this time, by a soft feeling on her left side. Celia hugged her.

“That's what I like about you, Rin.” The girl said with an even brighter smile.

“...Thanks.”

Being friends with Celia for years now, Rin was familiar with how touchy she was, so, after the initial stupor, she paid her no mind and continued walking. Quickly, too, making the other girl let go of her. If Celia was bothered by that, however, the tone of her next words didn't betray it.

“Say, Rin,” She said quietly, matching Rin's pace. “Talking about people in need...”

Rin immediately sighed. She had experienced this pattern so much that she could easily anticipate Celia's next words. After all, the only time the girl spoke quietly was when she had something she wanted to ask. And, unsurprisingly, that was pretty often, considering how selfish Celia was.

“How about you help m—”

“I won't do your homework for you, Celia”

“Ehhhh! Why not!?”

At once, Celia began to cling to her arm again. It was bothersome but Rin just ignored it. Instead, she checked the time once more. She really needed to hurry.

“Come on, my dear, beautiful friend!!” Rin opened her mouth but Celia wouldn't let her speak. “With how amazing your brain is, you'd finish my homework in, like, ten minutes!”

Rin rolled her eyes at the girl's wail. Soon, though, she became aware of how much attention they were gathering and quickly became embarrassed.

“...I need to go to the dojo, now, Celia,” She said with another blush on her face.

“Noooo! I won't let go before you accept!”

A kid throwing a tantrum. Rin couldn't interpret it any other way. In contrast to a real kid, however, she couldn't see any cuteness in Celia's action. She even grew a little annoyed.

“Please... let go, Celia.”

“Noooo!”

The urge to forcefully get rid of the girl was tempting, but, she held back by inhaling a few breaths in. Celia was still her friend, after all. She was, in fact, her only friend.

Rin couldn't help but sigh again.

“Alright!” She said with as loud a voice as she could muster (which wasn't that loud). “Meet me at my house after three hours.”

Celia immediately lit up.

“It'd be pretty late, though... If you're alright with that... I'll help you with your homework.”

“Yay! This is why I like you so much, Rin!!”

Rin simply rolled her eyes and bid goodbye to Celia.

She really didn't like being late.

◇

With a strong blow to her stomach, Rin stumbled on the hard carpet floor of the room in defeat.

“It's been what, three years now since you've been my student?” An old bald man wearing a kimono spoke from above Rin. “Frankly speaking, little girl, I'm losing things to teach you.” He extended his hand at Rin with ragged breathing.

“I... still can't beat you, though...” Similarly exhausted, the girl took the hand to get back on her feet.

“You know that's not the point, Rin,” The man distanced himself a little while looking at the girl with a proud yet complex expression. “I mean look at you, just sixteen years old and you already hold a 2nd dan in Karate. I also heard you have a pretty good knowledge in Aikido.”

Rin stayed quiet, closed her eyes, and steadied her breathing. “....That is.... not nearly enough.”

The bald man met out a big sigh.

His name was Shi Ling and he was, in a way, Rin's current mentor. He was a veteran martial art user and the owner of the dojo Rin was currently in.

“Slow down, little girl, you're still young, you have an entire lifetime before you.”

‘That's exactly the problem, though, teacher.’ Rin thought to herself.

Shi Ling only tried to help, she knew, however, Rin highly doubted he'd ever understand her. She may have a lifetime before her, but, the thing was, she was already sixteen years late. 2nd dan in karate? 1st dan in Aikido? Without a doubt, those were great things. Compared to other people her age, Rin was well ahead of the norm.

Compared to her family, though, she was...

‘...Trash.’ Rin thought bitterly, hearing the voices of her other relatives mocking her in her head.

For good reason, too. Being born inside a family of Elite: what the world call a Noble House, Rin should have been someone.... extraordinary— someone outside of the norm. Someone possessing powers. Instead, unlike her parents, her other siblings, and all her other family members, she was just... normal.

Thus, Rin had only one dream: to become a ‘real Noble’.

After exhaling a deep breath, and with a determined expression, she finally reopened her eyes.

Shi Ling didn't say anything else.

Rin took up her stance, and the lesson resumed.

She was late, so it was only natural that she'd give it her all to catch up.

◇

Like many people, Rin didn't like school. However, not because she was lazy or because she didn't see the point of it but more because she was extremely uncomfortable among the other students. Her socializing skill was at rock bottom and, to begin with, she preferred to be alone, away from the crowd.

As a consequence, ever since she enrolled in her high school, she had made a total of zero friends. She was a loner.

Of course, there was Celia, but that didn't count as her making friend since the situation behind their encounter was rather.... special. Plus, between the two of them, the one that really deepened their relationship was Celia.

That is not to say Rin never tried to make friends. She knew that in the eyes of society they were necessary, but, let's just say that her first attempt at making one was bad enough to the point of dissuading her to make a second one. It wasn't her fault, though.

To begin with, since she was homeschooled her whole childhood, Rin never had any chance to learn how to socialize. She was a little like a prisoner. For some unknown reason, her family, or at the very least her parents, seemed to be very adamant about... ‘hiding’ her existence. Hence, the number of times she was allowed to leave the vicinity of her assigned residence could be counted on one hand. Moreover, with how bad her relationship with her family was, it wouldn't be a stretch to say, she never had anyone she could really talk to in her childhood.

It was only natural that her socializing skills were at rock bottom. The fact that she was even willing to try was already amazing.

All of that to say, just like any other girl her age, Rin didn't want to go to school. Unlike her peers, though, she had only her mind to force her to go, since she had no one else.

After having finished her morning run, Rin briefly glanced at the faint but raising sun and took a deep breath before finally reopening the door to her home. No one greeted her back. She wasn't surprised.

Her house was luxurious but gigantic. It had only one floor but its largeness was enough to overwhelm one or even two families. Alas, the reality of the thing was that Rin lived there, alone, completely on her own. And the worst thing was, all her other family members were still alive and lived together, somewhere else.

Rin was the only one they didn't accept.

To say she felt lonely was an understatement. Thankfully, she was already used to it, by this point. She endured by thinking it could be worse.

Shaking her head to dispel any gloomy thought that arose, Rin immediately headed to her bathroom to prepare for school.

Rin did prefer being alone, but somehow, going to school felt better than staying inside her large, silent house.

◇

“Morning,” Celia said with half open eyes, while letting out a yawn.

Taking her eyes off her phone and looking behind herself, Rin returned the greeting. “...Good morning, Celia.”

Looking at the orange-haired girl's appearance, Rin couldn't help but chuckle. Yet another important piece of information: Celia wasn't a morning person. Although she already knew that, the messy hair and the half-open eyes of the usually energetic girl never ceased to amaze her.

“What are you looking at?” Seeing the phone Rin was holding, Celia finally put in the effort to open her eyes.

Displayed on the phone was a news article, full of words describing the recent, amazing feat of a certain someone. Rin doubted the other girl would read through it so she didn't bother hiding her phone. One mistake she had made, though, was that there was an image on the article. It wasn't on full display, but one corner of it was visible. One corner that showed the image of a smiling man.

The image of her older brother.

It wasn't like showing the article to Celia was such a bad thing, but after realizing her mistake, Rin immediately turned off her phone.

Too late, though.

“Oh...” Celia let out a sound of realization.

Rin just quietly put her phone back in her pocket.

“Don't worry, Rin!” Celia said, seemingly getting out of her sleepy mode “You're obviously more amazing than that guy!”

Rin gave a side glance at the other girl's bright smile and did her best to return it.

“And I'm not saying that just to cheer you up! I'm serious!”

She inhaled a small breath, and opened her mouth—

—only to be interrupted by a very loud siren sound.

«WARNING. WARNING. A RIFT HAS BEEN DETECTED. PLEASE EVACUATE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY.»

Before any question could arise in her mind, her focus was stolen by the anomaly appearing a few meters ahead of her.

The space itself was cracking.

“Wha...”

The crack extended, ripping the space apart and opening a sort of... ‘gate’ leading to who knows where. The anomaly, however, wasn't there to invite someone in, but, evidently to let something out. Every person present: students, adults, passersby, and even an unfortunate stray dog immediately froze in terror.

The atmosphere got heavier and, just like in a horror film, an inhuman hand came out of the Rift.