Hajime dreamt of a fierce battle, where he fought against a mysterious man. The dream was always the same, yet every time he woke up, the details slipped from his memory. All that remained was a lingering sense of urgency and dread.

  As he woke up in his room, the sunlight filtering through the curtains, Hajime sighed and rubbed his eyes. "That dream again... why can't I remember it?"

  He shook his head, trying to dispel the remnants of the dream. Living with Jack, Narissa, and their son Matt had been a blessing ever since they found him unconscious in the snow, but he couldn't shake the feeling that his past held secrets he needed to uncover. He couldn't remember how he ended up in the snow or even much about his life before that.

  Hajime got up and headed to the shower. As the water cascaded over him, his hair turned from its usual cool blue to a natural black. "Every time..." he muttered, staring at the dark strands. "Why does this happen? Is it some kind of dye?"

  He finished his shower then after he left the bathroom his hair turned back to a gray blue then he got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. Jack greeted him with a smile. "Morning, Hajime. Sleep well?"

  "Yeah, kind of," Hajime replied, sitting down at the table. "Thanks for breakfast, Narissa."

  "You're welcome, dear," she said warmly. "Eat up before school."

  Hajime nodded and dug into his food. His thoughts wandered to his mysterious past. The only clues he had were his first name, his birthday in January, and a jacket with a wallet that had been found with him. The last name on the ID was scribbled out, unreadable.

  As he walked to school, Hajime noticed the familiar sights of his neighborhood. He passed by the park where kids played, the bakery that always smelled like fresh bread, and the old library he frequented on weekends. The normalcy of it all contrasted starkly with the chaotic memories of his dreams.

  At Jackson High School, Hajime had gained a reputation. To many, he was a bully, but in reality, he was saving others from being bullied. However, his methods were... intimidating.

  Walking through the halls with his hands wrapped in bandages and gloves covering them, Hajime saw a kid being bullied. Without hesitation, he approached and kicked the bully in the head, knocking him out.

  "Thanks, but... you're just as scary," the kid muttered before running away.

  Hajime sighed. "I just can't win."

  Later, he was called to the principal's office. Principal Stevens, knowing Hajime's story, decided not to expel him. "Hajime, I understand your intentions, but your methods are problematic. I'm putting you in the music club. Maybe it'll help you channel that energy into something positive."

  Hajime groaned inwardly. "The music club? Really?"

  Walking back to class, Hajime felt the stares of other students. He could hear their whispers.

  "Isn't that the guy who beat up those bullies?"

  "Yeah, but he's kind of a bully himself, isn't he?"

  "I heard he got put in the music club. Can you imagine?"

  Ignoring the comments, Hajime entered his classroom and took his seat. His classmates glanced at him but quickly turned away when he looked back. It was going to be a long day.

  After school, Hajime headed to the music club room, already knowing the members but not as friends. In his mind, he identified each one:

  - Emily, the blonde with yellow eyes and a black dress.

  - Daka, with green hair, a black jacket, and green eyes.

  - Rizra, with brown hair, a serious look, and a sports bra, her jacket tied around her waist.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  - Makoto, with brown hair and brown eyes,punching the wall, thinking he was the strongest.

  - Dark, in a red jacket with black hair.

  - Sockoo, with red and black hair, a red skirt, and a black zip-up jacket.

  Dark walked up to Hajime, grabbing his collar. "We don't want you here," he snarled.

  Hajime handed him the letter from the principal. "I don't have a choice."

  Dark read the letter and looks at Hajime with a pissed off look and notified the music club that the principal wants Hajime to join the club,Everyone looks at Hajime with intensity and then…the room was silent,full of tension for awhile

  Emily tried to be optimistic. "Let's give him a chance."

  Sockoo stepped forward with a microphone. "If you want to join, you have to sing."

  Everyone except Sockoo and Emily grinned, expecting him to fail. Hajime, nervous but determined, began to sing. To everyone's surprise, his voice was beautiful, captivating them all.

  Daka and Makoto praised him. "Great voice, man!"

  Rizra just shrugged and went back to her phone. Dark was in disbelief, and Sockoo, surprised, agreed to let him join as long as he didn't bully people.

  "I never bullied anyone to begin with," Hajime said quietly. "I save people, but they run away after."

  Everyone, except Rizra, who didn't care, felt sorry for him. Dark remained skeptical.

  That night, Hajime had the dream again, feeling the same wounds as his dream self. He woke up outside, confused. "Did I sleepwalk here?" he wondered, recognizing the faces of the music club members as they split up.

  He decided to follow Sockoo, noticing her acting strange. He found her fighting Nakumaru, a member of a magic gang, who was trying to extract information about a relic. Sockoo, despite being overpowered, refused to give in.

  Hajime was scared but couldn't stand by. A voice in his mind urged him to act. "Are you just gonna watch your new friend die? Run to save yourself?"

  "No," Hajime whispered, feeling a surge of determination. His eyes glowed blue, and blue flames ignited on his legs. Boosted by the flames, he crashed into Nakumaru with all his might, knocking him out.

  Sockoo was shocked. "Hajime?"

  He used the remaining flames to burn the ice off her body. Sockoo blushed as he petted her sensitive cat ears. "Stop that!" she said, flustered.

  "Who was that?" Hajime asked.

  "That's Nakumaru, from a magic gang," Sockoo explained.

  Hajime frowned. "That's a terrible name."

  Sockoo sighed. "I didn't make it. Look, the music club is just a cover. We're actually a magic hunter group."

  Hajime was baffled. "A magic hunter group?"

  Before they could continue, an explosion sounded. Sockoo realized the others were in trouble. Hajime ran towards the noise, unaware that Nakumaru had attacked Sockoo again.

  He reached the others, finding Dark injured and bleeding. Rizra was fighting Bondo Bushida, who wielded lightning magic. Despite their best efforts, Bondo was too strong, electrocuting Rizra, Makoto, and Daka into unconsciousness.

  Hajime intervened, kicking Bondo in the head. He tried to ignite his blue flames again but struggled. Bondo, enraged, attacked with lightning punches, pushing Hajime back.

  Determined, Hajime took off his jacket and shirt, revealing his glowing eyes and the sparks of lightning in them. "I won't let my friends die!"

  He dashed at Bondo, his blue flames boosting him. Bondo couldn't predict his movements. Hajime ascended to the ceiling and then blasted down, assuming his Angel Stance. He clashed with Bondo's Lightning Fist, a massive wave of magic spreading through the building.

  Sockoo arrived, seeing the intense battle. Daka and Rizra woke up, recognizing the flames. "Nata?"

  With a final effort, Hajime pushed through, breaking Bondo's defenses and knocking him out. Everyone, except the unconscious Makoto, was surprised.

  The battle over, everyone comforted Hajime, except Dark, who remained indifferent. Emily healed Hajime's wounds, and Makoto carried him home. Hajime noticed Sockoo acting strange but didn't press her.

  The next day, there was an assembly in the gym. As Hajime entered, he heard cheering and saw the music club members standing outside the gym, looking worried and confused. He approached them, only to see Sockoo hanging from a pole, about to be executed.

  "What's going on?" Hajime demanded, his heart pounding.

  Sockoo looked at him, a mixture of fear and determination in her eyes. "It's... complicated."

  Determined to save his friend, Hajime knew he had to act fast. The stakes were higher than ever, and his journey to uncover his past and protect his new friends was far from over.

  Hajime couldn't believe what he was seeing. He turned to the music club members, his voice shaking. "Why is Sockoo up there?"

  Sockoo looked down at Hajime, her eyes filled with fear and resignation.

  Hajime’s mind raced. He couldn’t stand by and watch his friend suffer.

  As the tension in the gym mounted, the Principal addressed the crowd with a stern expression.

  "It has come to my attention that Sockoo has killed Nakumaru from the magic gang. This is a serious offense. In our

  world, hunters are only allowed to incapacitate criminals, not kill them. This act cannot go unpunished’.

  Hajime's heart raced. "That's not true! Sockoo was only defending herself!" The Principal remained unmoved.

  "We have security footage of the entire incident." He activated a screen showing Hajime running towards the

  explosion. "Here, you can see Nakumaru waking up and attacking Sockoo. In her defense, Sockoo killed Nakumaru by stabbing him with her cat paws."

  The footage played out, showing Sockoo's desperate reaction.

  Hajime's eyes widened in shock.

  "That's... that's not right!"

  The Principal's gaze hardened.

  "Our rules are clear. All hunters who kill must be punished. They must either be sent to jail or given a severe lesson

  .

  Sockoo's fate is to be decided now." Without warning, the Principal summoned a blaze of fire magic, preparing to

  burn Sockoo alive.

  Hajime's eyes glowed with intense blue flames, reacting to his rising anger and desperation.

  "No!" Hajime shouted. His blue flames erupted, propelling him towards Sockoo. He reached her just in time, using his

  blue flames to burn through the ropes and the pole holding her captive. Sockoo fell to the ground, stunned but unharmed.

  The Principal's eyes widened in surprise. "What is the meaning of this?" Hajime turned to the Principal with

  determination. "I want to make a deal. If Sockoo and the others catch the boss of the magic gang and the rest of the

  members without killing them, you let Sockoo go. And if possible, I want Bondo Bushida to join us."

  Bondo, who had been tied up nearby, looked perplexed and irritated. "What? Why would I join you?"

  The Principal raised an eyebrow.

  "You would make such a deal for people you met only yesterday?"

  "Absolutely," Hajime replied firmly. Sockoo's cheeks flushed with a deep red as she looked at Hajime, surprised by

  his boldness. She had never seen him act so courageously, and it made her think differently about him.

  Hajime seemed cooler and more handsome than she had initially realized.

  The Principal considered Hajime's proposition carefully. "Very well. If you and your team manage to apprehend the

  magic gang without causing any further fatalities, I will let Sockoo go. And if Bondo agrees, he may join you."

  Hajime nodded. "Deal!" Bondo scowled but remained silent, clearly conflicted. The music club members and the

  others were stunned by the unexpected turn of events.

  "What?!?!" the members of the music club shouted in unison, their disbelief palpable.

  As the gym buzzed with confusion and excitement, Hajime's resolve solidified. He knew the task ahead would be

  challenging, but with his new allies and the chance to save Sockoo, he was ready to face whatever came next.