Cards Of The Silent King-Chapter 36: The Grey District at Midnight

The crack was not a shimmer. It was a wound.

It stood in the center of the abandoned textile factory. It was doorway sized. Dark energy pulsed from the edges. It smelled like burnt sugar and rust.

Kaito stood ten meters away. His jacket was open. Five cards glowed in his hand.

Kuro said: "This is not a Drifter."

Kaito said: "I know."

Kuro said: "It is Marked. High tier."

Kaito said: "Five cards."

Kuro said: "Make them count."

Kaito threw the cards. They landed in a semicircle. Light erupted.

Fenrir materialized first. He was massive. White fur stained with shadow. He growled. The sound shook the dust from the ceiling.

Raikou appeared next. He was lightning contained in human shape. He crackled. The air ionized.

Luna stepped from a puddle. She was calm. Her kimono flowed like water. She raised a hand. The humidity spiked.

Orion nocked an arrow. He did not speak. He aimed at the center of the crack.

Akira drew his blade. The ronin spirit bowed once. He waited for the order.

Kaito said: "Push it back."

Fenrir charged. He hit the entity emerging from the crack. It was a beast made of static and teeth. It matched Fenrir’s size. They collided. The floor cracked.

Raikou fired. The bolt hit the beast’s flank. Smoke rose. The beast shrieked. It sounded like grinding metal.

Orion said: "Left flank. Exposed."

Kaito said: "Akira."

Akira moved. He was a blur. His blade cut through the static. The beast stumbled.

Luna said: "It is regenerating."

Kaito said: "Freeze it."

Luna waved her hand. Ice spread across the floor. It climbed the beast’s legs. The regeneration slowed. The ice turned grey where it touched the entity.

Kuro said: "Do not let it touch the ice."

Kaito said: "Why."

Kuro said: "It consumes energy. Cold is energy."

Kaito said: "Fenrir. Break it."

Fenrir howled. He bit down on the beast’s neck. The static sparked. Fenrir shook his head. The beast slammed into a pillar. Concrete dust rained down.

The beast rallied. It threw Fenrir off. It turned toward Kaito.

Orion said: "It sees the source."

Kaito said: "Hold it."

Raikou stepped in front of Kaito. He formed a wall of lightning. The beast hit the wall. It bounced back. It was angry. It grew larger.

Kaito thought: Thirty minutes.

He thought: I have been fighting for twenty.

He thought: I am tired.

His hands shook. He held the Ace of Spades. Kuro was still in the card. He was the reserve.

Kaito said: "Kuro. Finish it."

Kuro said: "Finally."

Shadow erupted from the card. It wrapped around the beast. It did not attack physically. It attacked the connection to the crack.

Kuro said: "I am cutting the leash."

The beast shrieked. It thrashed. The static faded. The form collapsed. It became smoke.

Kuro absorbed the smoke. He returned to the card. The card landed at Kaito’s feet.

The crack remained. It was open. It hummed louder now. Without the entity, it was unstable.

Kaito said: "Now the seal."

Luna said: "You are depleted."

Kaito said: "Do it."

Luna nodded. She faded into the card. Raikou followed. Orion and Akira vanished. Fenrir licked Kaito’s hand once. He went back into the King of Fangs.

Kaito picked up the cards. He put them in his pocket. He walked to the crack.

He placed both hands on the air. The energy pushed back. It was heavy. It felt like holding up a building.

Kaito thought: Push.

He pushed his will into the boundary. The shimmer resisted. It fought him.

He dropped to his knees. He did not stop. He lay flat on his back. His hands remained raised.

He stared at the ceiling. The concrete was stained. Water dripped from a pipe.

Kaito thought: One hour.

He thought: Halfway.

His arms burned. His lungs felt shallow. He could not move his legs. He could only maintain the will.

Kuro said: "Do not sleep."

Kaito said: "Not sleeping."

Kuro said: "Your heart rate is dropping."

Kaito said: "Keep talking."

Kuro said: "You are stubborn. It is annoying. It is also why you are alive."

Kaito said: "Thanks."

Kuro said: "Do not get used to it."

The crack shimmered. It grew smaller. The hum lowered in pitch.

Kaito thought: Another thirty minutes.

He thought: I can do this.

He thought: I have to.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He could not reach it. He ignored it.

The vibration stopped. It started again. Three times.

Kuro said: "That is urgent."

Kaito said: "Cannot move."

Kuro said: "If it is Jin. It is urgent."

Kaito said: "Wait."

The crack was a slit now. The energy was faint. Kaito pressed harder. His vision blurred.

He thought: Close.

He pushed the last of his will. The slit vanished. The air became still. The smell of rust faded.

Kaito lowered his hands. They fell to his chest. He did not move. He lay on the cold concrete.

Kuro said: "It is done."

Kaito said: "Yes."

Kuro said: "Rest. I will watch."

Kaito closed his eyes. He breathed. The air was clean now.

Ten minutes passed. Twenty. His strength returned slowly.

He reached into his pocket. He took out the phone. The screen was cracked. Three missed messages.

All from Jin.

Message one: Pattern shift.

Message two: Scouts moving.

Message three: Timeline accelerated.

Kaito sat up. His back cracked. He stood up. His legs were steady.

He typed a response.

Kaito said: "How much."

Jin said: "Twenty four hours."

Kaito froze. Orion had said three days.

Kaito said: "Why."

Jin said: "They found the weak point. They are not waiting."

Kaito looked at the spot where the crack was. It was empty. But the pressure was still there.

Kaito thought: They know.

He thought: They know I was here.

He thought: They know I am tired.

Kuro said: "We need to move."

Kaito said: "Yes."

He walked to the exit. The night air hit him. It was cold. The city was quiet.

He started running. He did not have time to walk. The apartment was twenty minutes away. He made it in ten.

He burst through the door. He locked it. He turned on the light.

He emptied his pockets. The cards spilled onto the table. He counted them.

Sixteen. All present.

He picked up Orion’s card. It was warm.

Kaito said: "Report."

Orion said: "They changed strategy."

Kaito said: "Why."

Orion said: "They sensed the seal. They know you are alone."

Kaito said: "I am not alone."

Orion said: "They do not know about the humans. Yet."

Kaito said: "Keep it that way."

Orion said: "For now."

Kaito gathered the cards. He put them in the deck. He put the deck in his jacket.

He went to the sink. He drank water. His hands shook. He stopped them.

He looked at the notebook. It was open on the desk. The last entry was from Chapter 35.

He picked up the pen. He wrote: Day 52.

He wrote: Doorway crack. Sealed.

He wrote: Timeline: 24 hours.

He put the pen down. He looked at the words.

Kaito thought: Twenty four hours.

He thought: I need sleep.

He thought: I do not have time.

He walked to the bedroom. He did not turn off the light. He lay on the bed. He closed his eyes.

He set the alarm for four hours.

Kuro said: "Four hours is not enough."

Kaito said: "It is all I have."

Kuro said: "You will crash."

Kaito said: "Later."

Kuro said: "Fine. Wake up. I will shake you."

Kaito said: "Okay."

He slept. He did not dream. He sank into blackness.

The alarm rang. It was loud. He turned it off. He stood up.

He washed his face. The water was cold. It woke him up.

He put on the jacket. He checked the pockets. The cards were secure.

He opened the door. He stepped into the hallway.

The sun was rising. The city was waking up.

Kaito thought: Twenty four hours.

He thought: School starts in six.

He thought: I will be there.

He started walking. He moved fast. He passed the convenience store. The sign buzzed.

He passed the Grey District. The buildings were silent. The cracks were sealed.

For now.

He reached the school gate. It was closed. The grounds were empty.

He climbed the fence. He landed on the grass. He walked toward the building.

He stopped at the entrance. He placed his hand on the wall.

He felt the vibration. It was faint. It was there.

Kaito said: "Orion."

Orion said: "Yes."

Kaito said: "Track them."

Orion said: "They are inside."

Kaito pushed the door open. It was dark. The hallway stretched ahead.

Lockers lined the walls. The floor was tiled.

Kaito walked forward. His boots echoed.

He reached the third floor. He stopped at Locker 17.

The shimmer was back. It was small. It was hidden.

Kaito said: "Found one."

Kuro said: "There are more."

Kaito said: "How many."

Kuro said: "Five. Maybe six."

Kaito said: "Time."

Kuro said: "Until school starts."

Kaito looked at his watch.

Kaito said: "Four hours."

Kuro said: "Can you seal six in four hours."

Kaito said: "I have to."

He pulled a card. He started working.

The sun rose higher. The city woke up. Students would arrive soon.

Kaito worked in the dark. He did not stop.

He could not.

The hunt had moved to the school.

He would meet them here.

He would seal every crack.

Before the first bell rang.

Before anyone noticed.

Before anyone got hurt.

He sealed the first one. He moved to the second.

The clock ticked.

Four hours.

Three fifty nine.

Three fifty eight.

He did not stop.

The cards hummed.

Kaito did not speak.

He worked.