The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of rain from the night before. Raito walked at an even pace, his hand holding his suitcase which was packed with essentials for his routine job as a salesman at a company dealing in generic goods.
The streets of Osaka were already bustling—cars honking, pedestrians murmuring into their phones, and the occasional cyclist weaving between traffic.
He chose to walk to work today. Not because he needed to, but because he wanted to clear his head.
Or at least, that had been the plan.
Still feeling a bit off, huh? Kurai's voice coiled around his thoughts, her tone laced with amusement.
Raito's brow furrowed slightly. His body did feel… strange. Not in a painful way, but like a machine that had undergone subtle recalibration. His steps were lighter, his senses sharper—yet, there was an unfamiliar weight inside him, an unnatural stillness lurking beneath his skin.
"You did something to me," he muttered under his breath, careful not to draw attention.
Oh? You finally noticed? Kurai chuckled. I told you, we're bound now. Your body is still adjusting. Consider it an… upgrade.
Raito remained silent, keeping his focus on the sidewalk ahead. The world didn't feel the same. Every sound was more distinct, every movement in his peripheral vision clearer. Even the heartbeat of a stray cat crouched near a garbage bin echoed faintly in his ears.
He didn't have time to dwell on it.
A sudden screech of tires shattered the morning routine.
Raito's instincts flared. His head snapped toward the street just in time to see a black sedan careening toward him, its engine roaring as it weaved recklessly through traffic. People shouted, some diving out of the way. The driver wasn't just speeding—he was fleeing.
A theft. A runaway car.
And it was heading straight for him.
For a split second, Raito's body moved on its own. His combat-trained reflexes screamed at him to evade, to twist out of the way like he had done countless times before-
But something was wrong.
His body lagged.
It was as if his limbs resisted his commands, sluggish and uncoordinated. The car closed in at a terrifying speed, its grille reflecting the morning sun like the maw of a beast.
Oh dear, Kurai mused, utterly unbothered. Looks like you're about to find out what it really means to be my host.
The impact came before he could process her words.
Metal met flesh. The force sent Raito airborne, his vision snapping skyward before gravity dragged him down. The world blurred. The sensation of hitting the pavement barely registered.
For a moment, everything was silent.
Pedestrians screamed in the background. The car's tires screeched as it sped away, vanishing down the street. Someone ran toward him, shouting in panic.
Raito, however, was still.
Not because he was unconscious—no. He was very much aware.
And something was very wrong.
Pain… didn't come.
There was no sharp agony, no broken bones, no sensation of torn muscle. His body felt heavy against the ground, but not injured. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
The world tilted as he pushed himself upright. Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"What the hell…?" a man murmured.
"H-he got hit, but—he's getting up?"
Raito barely heard them. He looked down at his hands, then ran a palm over his chest, his stomach. His suit was torn, but his skin?
Untouched.
That's when he felt it—the presence crawling beneath his skin, weaving through his bones like a second layer of existence.
Kurai giggled, her voice rich with satisfaction. Told you.
Raito exhaled, eyes narrowing. "You got to be kidding me" he mumbled
This was going to be a problem.