The rain had stopped by the time Ren left school.
Which was strange—because the sky still looked like it wanted to sob.
Tachibana Elementary emptied like clockwork: teachers too tired to care, students too loud to think, and Ren… drifting between shadows like he didn't exist.
Today had been a normal day.
Which meant they tripped him.
Which meant they laughed when he bled.
Which meant the teacher saw, and looked away.
But Ren didn't cry.
Because crying didn't fix bones.
And crying didn't stop Daiki and his gang from waiting behind Fujimi Park, where the back path led home.
Ren took the long way instead—through the alley behind the Kawasaki Daishi Temple, where incense smoke still lingered and prayer papers fluttered.
He didn't feel the key at first.
Not until the wind touched his pocket.
Not until the metal warmed.
He stopped walking.
His hand drifted into his uniform.
Cold steel. Unnaturally warm.
The key pulsed like a heartbeat. Faint. Hungry.
> "Why now?"
"What do you want?"
No answer. Just silence.
And then—
a sound.
Screaming.
No—not screaming. A muffled struggle.
He ran.
Down the corner past the Asao River, where the weeds grew wild.
Into the mouth of the alley behind his building.
And there—he saw her.
His mother.
Aiko.
On the ground.
Three figures loomed over her. Teenagers. One had blood on his shoe.
> "You bitch!"
"Where's the money, huh? You think we don't know about your freak kid?"
Ren froze. His mouth opened. No sound came out.
The biggest one—Daiki—turned, eyes wide.
"Ohhh, look who it is! Lil' Ren Ren come to rescue mommy."
They laughed. One kicked Aiko again.
She coughed. Wet. Wrong.
Ren stepped forward. "Stop it…"
Daiki grinned. "Or what?"
Ren ran. He didn't make it far.
A punch dropped him like a leaf in winter.
The world spun.
His head hit gravel.
And then—
he saw the key.
It was in his hand.
He didn't remember taking it out.
But it was there.
Waiting.
He looked at his mother—barely moving.
Blood on her lips. On the maneki-neko cloth still clenched in her fist.
Something broke.
Ren stood.
Daiki didn't see it coming. "What the hell is that—"
Click.
Twist.
The key turned.
Reality snapped.
The air cracked like thunder underwater.
A gate exploded from the earth—ancient, jagged, massive.
Engraved in runes no language should remember.
From within… a hand emerged.
Charred. Clawed. Immense.
Daiki didn't even scream before it grabbed him.
Dragged him into Hell.
The gate slammed shut.
Silence returned.
Ren stood there.
Shaking.
Breathing.
Holding a smoking key.
From across the alley…
he saw the old man.
That same stall owner.
Standing in the shadows.
Smiling.
He nodded.
Like a judge watching justice served.