Josie's POV

I stared at the protection charm that my parents gave me on my 5th birthday. It's been 8 years since they disappeared from this world. They have gone with my ancestors and have found a new life to begin again. I remember that they once appeared one of my dreams and they told me to look on the bright side and that there would be someone who would take care of me for the rest of my life.

I rested my head on the park bench and sighed. My mother's friend has been taking care of me since I was 3. She was like a stepmother to me. But something tells me that she wouldn't be the person who would watch over me for the rest of my life. Well, at least I shouldn't think about that since I need to make dinner before she comes home from work.

Meanwhile in Death City…

"Hiya! Heya! Wassssuppp Justin?" Lord Death asked the thirteen-year old teenager who was listening to music from his earphones.

Justin didn't answer him since he didn't hear the Death God because of his earphones or read his lips because of the mask that was covered on his face.

"Hmm… Uh Spirit?" Lord Death said to his new death scythe.

"Yes sir?" Spirit answered.

"Since Justin can't hear me or read my lips because of my mask, you're going to tell him what his mission is!" Lord Death said in his usual ridiculous child voice.

"Heh? He can just take off his earphones!" Spirit cried in surprise.

"Ok then! Repeat after me! Justin, there is an Evil Human that is attacking people in East California. I need you to kill it right away before it turns into a kishin", Lord Death immediately said.

"Ah! Okay fine… This is an important message from Lord Death, Justin. There is an Evil Human that's attacking people in East California. I need you to kill it right away before it turns into a kishin", Spirit said.

"It's progressing quickly. I suppose it's consuming every soul it sees after sunset. Right now it's near sunset… I need you to hurry there immediately", Lord Death continued.

Spirit copied his phrase and Justin nodded in acceptation.

"Ohhhhh Lorrrd Death, I will be always be at your service!" Justin said.

Lord Death and Spirit sweat dropped. "Just do it…" they mumbled under their breath.

Back in California…

Josie's POV

It was five forty-five when I left the park, and now I'm heading home. The day had tired me out. Along the way, my mind was saying how dangerous it was for a little kid to walk home by themselves, but I wasn't a little kid, not anymore.

Suddenly, I heard a woman's scream and then a slash. I don't know what happened but I ran away from the sound. It... reminded me of something I don't want to remember. Then, I heard something running not so far behind me. I didn't bother to look at it, no, I didn't want to look at it. I kept on running. I ran and ran until I was sure that I couldn't run any faster, but the thing behind me seemed faster still. I finally turned around, almost not wanting to open my eyes. When I finally did, I saw…a huge, ugly monster with the sharpest claws I've ever seen. I screamed as its claw reached out and was about to kill me.

But instead, it went off to kill another person standing behind me, she was my friend. He killed her, not caring about the horrible screams she made, and kept on slashing until the body was no more than a mangled corpse. A blue sphere came out of her body, and the monster promptly grabbed it and shoved it down its throat. I screamed again. It was actually my first time seeing a lot of violence, and I couldn't help but feel bile threatening to fall out of my mouth when my eyes strayed towards the body that used to be a friend that I had known. The monster ran towards me once it had finished swallowing the sphere. He started charging towards me with some sort of blade... his finger?

I dodged it and in a fluid motion, he changed the direction to slash me again. I dodged it a several times, the blade almost grazing my flesh each time. But he cut me just a bit on my thigh. I jumped away from the monster as the sharp pain shot up my leg. We both stood a few feet away from each other, no one making the first move, until I couldn't keep in the agony for my fallen friend anymore. Till then, I finally recognized that thing was; it was an Evil Human.

"What do you think you're doing? It's cruel!" I yelled at it, tears already brimming on my eyes.

The Evil Human glared at me, as if I was the one who had just done something unbelievable. "You don't give me orders, little girl. All I need is your soul and then I will leave you alone", it said.

I shook. My nightmares have come to life. For the first time, I felt fear.

It evilly chuckled, sending shivers down my spine and made me more scared. "I may look like one but I'm just a human. I'm hungry for souls. And I want one from you!" he said and began attacking me again.

I could feel anger well up inside of me. He had taken her soul... My friend lost her soul all because a monster was hungry. "Go find money for yourself, hobo!" I yelled at it and jumped upwards, dodging his attack.

"Souls aren't money… they're blue circles inside you!" it said.

My blood felt colder than it should have been. It hadn't simply taken her soul, it had eaten her! My rage started fueling my attacks, and by the way it winced, I could tell my blows have gotten heavier.

The Evil Human ran towards me and was about to rip my body apart, but I knew that I had to fight back…to fight back for my family…to avenge my ancestors who went through this kind of pain. I dodged the Evil Human's attack and kept an eye on it.

I landed and I glared at the Evil Human while it just evilly smiled at me. "Such a small girl like you can fight with me so easily. But I won't allow that to happen…" it said and before I knew it, the Evil Human threw me on the ground.

I felt weak. I tried to get up, but I didn't have enough energy left. My vision became blurry, but I shook my head to wake up. I could see its evil red eyes staring down at me. The Evil Human just evilly laughed and he prepared to slice me apart. I shut my eyes tight. I tighten my fists. I couldn't do anything to avenge my clan. Tears started streaming down my cheeks again. I felt useless. All I had to do was wait for the final blow and then my life is over.

"DIE!" the Evil Human yelled at me.

Suddenly, a heard…a scream? I opened my eyes and saw a strange teenager fighting the Evil Human. The Evil Human cried and screamed. A blade appeared from the teenager's wrist as he kept on fighting. He fought until the Evil Human collapsed. He killed it. The body of the monster disappeared as a red circle appeared. The teenager ate it. Is this another Evil Human?

The teenager ran over to me and I tried to squirm away.

"It's okay", he said to me. "I'm a Death Scythe from Death Weapon Meister Academy. I come here under the command of Lord Death. We can help you", he said.

So he was a good guy…? I couldn't reply to him because I noticed that my wounds have gotten wider. Blood slowly rushed out of my body. Using all the energy I had left, I grabbed the teenager's hand and before I knew it, I blacked out. I heard him calling my name over and over again but I felt my hand slowly slipping from his.

In Death City…

Lord Death stared at his mirror where he saw Justin carrying a girl covered in blood to a hospital.

"Lord Death", a man with shoulder-length red hair appeared behind the Reaper.

The image faded as Lord Death turned around. "Ah Spirit! How can I help you?" he asked as his large white hands appeared out of his black robe. He clapped them together.

"The girl who is with Justin now… She was born in the Sword Clan. A group of ninjas who share the same weapon, a ninja sword. Her family was defeated by the kishin but there were only three people left. Two of them were murdered two years ago. Which only leaves…?" Spirit explained but then paused at his last sentence.

"Hmm… I knew the young girl looked very familiar. No wonder why she's good at fighting the Evil Human that was in California", Lord Death said. Spirit nodded in agreement.

"Well I guess I have to contact Justin when the two get to their destination!" Lord Death said cheerfully. The Reaper turned back to his mirror. "Perhaps we'll take her into the academy as a student since this is the best place for her", he said.