"Awakening of the Weakest Vessel."
EPISODE: 1
"Awakening of the Weakest Vessel."
A cold wind scraped through the narrow streets of Shirogane District, dragging dust and scraps of old paper behind it. It rattled metal signs above store windows and made the world seem more hollow than it already was.
In the middle of the early morning crowd stood a skinny boy with messy black hair, his uniform wrinkled and one strap of his cheap backpack torn. Kai Ren—fifteen years old, unremarkable, invisible.
But to Kai, invisibility was a blessing.
If no one noticed him, maybe they wouldn't bother him.
He walked with his shoulders rolled forward, head slightly lowered, giving the world as little reason as possible to acknowledge his existence. His hands clutched the straps of his bag so tightly the knuckles were turning white.
He was small for his age. Weak.
Not just ordinary weak—no-talent weak.
In a school full of martial arts prodigies, genetically enhanced athletes, and wealthy students trained in elite combat academies, Kai was the leftover crumb on the plate. The kid chosen last for sports. The kid shoved aside in crowded hallways. The kid whose name people only remembered when they needed a target to laugh at.
Kai knew it. Everyone knew it.
And the worst part?
He knew it would never change.
Morning Routine of a Nobody
Kai approached the school gates with the same dread that visited him every morning. The tall steel gates of Ryujin High were decorated with banners advertising combat tournaments, talent showcases, and academy sponsorships.
But not for kids like him.
He moved toward the front entrance cautiously, scanning for trouble. He hoped maybe, just maybe, he could slip through unnoticed today—
"Hey. Oi. Look who it is."
The hope died instantly.
A group of boys in expensive jackets walked toward him. Their swagger echoed across the yard. At the front was Daiki Rojima, tall, muscular, and born to a wealthy family that owned a private combat dojo chain across the district. He was a favorite to enter the national youth league—already stronger than some adult fighters.
Kai felt his throat tighten.
Daiki's lip curled. "Kai Ren. The walking disappointment."
His friends laughed.
Kai lowered his eyes. "I—I'm just going to class."
"That right?" Daiki stepped closer. The scent of his cologne and energy drink stung Kai's nose. "You breathing is an inconvenience already."
Kai swallowed hard. He didn't respond. Any response made things worse.
Daiki placed a heavy hand on Kai's shoulder.
"You're shaking already? Damn. You're like a leaf in the rain."
Kai tried to slip away, but Daiki tightened his grip until Kai winced.
"Relax," Daiki said mockingly. "We're just talking."
There was no "talking."
There was always a price.
Daiki finally pushed him aside, laughing as Kai stumbled.
"Try not to die before class, weakling."
Kai didn't answer. He never did.
He simply walked, shoulders heavier than before.
A Silent Cry
By lunchtime, Kai had suffered two shoves, one tripped landing, and a thrown carton of milk bouncing off his back. He sat alone at a corner table, eating the cheapest meal the school cafeteria served—plain rice with a thin sauce packet.
Voices filled the cafeteria:
"Did you see Daiki's match last night? He destroyed that green belt in two moves!"
"Did you hear Aya is competing in the Junior National Trials next month?"
"Yuto's dad got him a carbon-hardened training sword. It's custom-made!"
Everyone had talent. Everyone had potential.
Everyone except him.
Kai stared at his rice.
His stomach was empty, but he had no appetite.
Why am I even here?
Why am I even trying?
He closed his eyes.
He didn't know it—couldn't know it— but far in the dark space within his mind, a voice stirred.
A whisper.
A growl carried on a breath of ancient power.
…Boy…
But Kai was too small, too weak, too silent to hear it.
Not yet.
After School Ambush
The sun dipped lower as classes ended. Students rushed out in groups, chattering excitedly. Kai waited inside, pretending to reorganize his bag so he could leave after the crowds cleared.
But Daiki's group had been waiting for him.
The moment Kai stepped into the alley behind the school—his usual shortcut—they appeared from both ends.
Daiki cracked his knuckles. "Thought you could slip by us today?"
Kai's heart dropped.
They surrounded him—four boys in total.
Kai lifted his hands slightly, palms trembling. "I—I don't want trouble."
"Too late." Daiki's fist smashed into Kai's stomach before he could react.
Air blasted from Kai's lungs. He collapsed to his knees, coughing violently.
Another boy kicked him in the side.
A third stomped his wrist.
Kai curled into himself instinctively.
"You're such a waste," Daiki spat. "How can someone be this useless?"
Kai wanted to scream. Wanted to run. Wanted to disappear.
Instead, all he could do was whimper as the next blow landed.
Daiki reared back for another punch—
And that's when it happened.
The First Whisper
Inside Kai's skull, something woke.
A presence.
A pulse like thunder.
A force older than his entire bloodline.
…Stand…
Kai's eyes shot wide open.
The world blurred into slow motion.
A deep vibration rolled through his bones.
Daiki mocked him, but Kai no longer heard the words.
He heard something else.
A voice.
A voice that oozed authority, rage, and an ancient fury that did not belong in a schoolyard.
…Stand up…
Kai froze.
His breath turned cold.
W–Who…?
He thought it, but the voice answered as if reading his fear.
You hear me at last… pathetic vessel…
The voice was monstrous—booming yet whispering, echoing and intimate. Like a god speaking through smoke.
Kai stopped moving entirely, panicked beyond reason.
Daiki's fist slammed into Kai's cheek—
—but Kai barely felt it.
He felt the voice.
"Wh-what… what is happening?" Kai choked.
The bullies paused.
Daiki frowned. "Is he talking to himself?"
Kai clutched his head, shaking violently.
…Useless. Weak. Frail. No wonder I could not reach you before…
The voice resonated like metal scraping across stone.
But enough. You will not grovel on the ground like a dying worm.
Not while I am inside you.
Kai screamed as the voice roared through his skull.
"STOP! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
Daiki stepped back. "What the hell is wrong with this freak?"
Kai shook uncontrollably. Something ancient was pushing against his consciousness—pressing, heavy, overwhelming.
It felt like a war drum beating inside his veins.
Stand… or die.
"I CAN'T—PLEASE—STOP—."
Daiki grabbed him by the collar. "Shut UP!"
Kai looked into Daiki's eyes—but he didn't see Daiki.
He saw fire.
He saw ruins.
He saw armies of monstrous creatures consumed in a burning battlefield.
The vision lasted less than a second.
Kai's mind couldn't take anymore.
His vision went black.
His body hit the ground.
The last thing he heard before unconsciousness swallowed him was the voice:
Pathetic child… open your eyes, before this world eats you whole