the tale of shinjo atari

THE CRYSTALLINE HEART: THE TALE OF SHINJO ATARI:

The Shadow of a HeroThe sky over the village was the color of a bruised plum.

Ten-year-old Shinjo stood by the gate, his eyes wide with admiration as his father adjusted his armor.

"I want to be a soldier just like you, Dad!" Shinjo cheered, swinging a wooden stick.

"I’ll protect our land, and Mom, and you!"

His father let out a hearty laugh, ruffling Shinjo’s hair.

"Haha! If you want to stand on the front lines, you’ll need to grow a lot bigger than that, little hero."

But the laughter didn't last. Weeks later, the front door creaked open to reveal a man drenched in crimson. His father collapsed, his breathing ragged.

"Son... I’m sorry," he whispered, his eyes losing focus.

"Always... protect your mother, okay?"

"Wait, Dad! What happened? Dad?

DADDY!"

Shinjo’s screams were swallowed by the rain. His hero was gone The Descent of the Cursed Soul By age fifteen, Shinjo was possessed by a single goal. He trained until his hands bled and his muscles screamed.

"My father was a hero,"

he told himself.

"I will be the shield he couldn't be."

One evening, while training under a blood-red moon, a streak of obsidian light tore through the clouds. A jagged, pulsing stone struck him square in the chest. It didn’t draw blood; it sunk into his flesh.

"Ugh! It hurts... what is this?"

Shinjo gasped, clutching his chest. He watched in horror as faint black veins began to crawl across his skin like spiderwebs.

"Is it a rock? Why is it... inside me?

At eighteen Shinjo joined the Knights of the Land. The training was a nightmare—harder than anything his father had described. But he wasn't alone. He met Christopher, a loud-mouthed but loyal recruit.

"Sup, friend! The name’s Christopher. What’s yours?"

"I'm Shinjo," he replied, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Wow, why’d you join this hell-hole?"

"To take my father's place."Christopher grinned. "Deep. A bit stupid, but deep! Let’s grab some food after this."

Life as a recruit was a cycle of pain and laughter. One afternoon, while Christopher was busy scouting for "pretty girls" outside the barracks, Shinjo saw her. She was a camp helper named Grace, carrying a basket of linens. Her smile was like the first day of spring.

"Hey bro,"

Christopher nudged him, smirking.

"Are you staring at Grace? You like her, don't you?"

"What? No way!" Shinjo stammered, his face turning beet red.

"I'm focused on being a soldier!"

"Realllyyyyy? Your face says otherwise!"

That night, Shinjo ran into her again by the moonlight.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Can I help you?"

Shinjo froze. Oh my god, she saw me. What do I do?

"Uh... hello. I’m just passing by. Sorry!"

He practically ran away, his heart hammering against the black crystal in his chest The curse began to stir. Shinjo had nightmares of his father’s death and two mysterious women weeping.

When he woke, he saw the black veins on his chest were darkening.

"Bro,"

Shinjo confessed to Christopher later that day.

"I think... I’ve fallen for her. For Grace."

Christopher spit out his water.

"Welcome to manhood, big guy! Look, let's meet in my tent tonight. We’re gonna make a plan."

Under the dim light of a lantern, they rehearsed.

"Ehem... Ms. Grace,"

Shinjo practiced, his voice trembling.

"Every day, seeing your face makes me happy. May I ask you on a date?"

When the day finally came, Grace agreed. They walked through the plaza, eating blueberry waffles that tasted sweeter than anything Shinjo had ever known.

"Wow, you're actually really good at this shooting game, Grace!"

Shinjo laughed as she won her third prize.

"Of course!"

she teased. But then, her expression clouded.

"Shinjo... I have to go back to my hometown tomorrow. Will you promise me we’ll see each other again?"

"I don't just promise that,"

Shinjo said, grabbing her hand.

"I promise I will marry you."

Outbreakpassed. Shinjo became a soldier and kept his word. He and Grace married and had a daughter, Alliah. They lived a quiet life until the day the sky screamed.

"I have to go to war, Grace,"

Shinjo said, buckling his armor.

"Where is Daddy going?"

little Alliah asked, clutching a doll.

"Just a business trip, sweetie,"

Shinjo knelt and kissed her forehead.

"I'll buy you a giant teddy bear when I get back, okay? I promise."

But the war came to them. A massive explosion rocked the town. Monsters—ghouls with hollow eyes—erupted from the smoke.

"Dad! It’s chasing us!"

Alliah screamed as they ran.Shinjo felt a searing heat in his chest. The crystal pulsed. A dark, violet aura exploded from his arm, turning it into jagged black glass. His vision shifted; he could see the monster's movements before they happened. With a roar, he punched. The ghoul dissolved into ash instantly.

The government fled, abandoning the people. Shinjo stood his ground.

"Run, Grace! Take Alliah to the mountain village! I’ll catch up!"

"Please be safe, Shinjo!"

Grace cried as she disappeared into the woods.Shinjo embraced the curse. His entire body became a vessel of black crystal. He was 20 times stronger, a whirlwind of dark energy. For 48 hours, he fought an endless tide of monsters. With one final, soul-shattering punch aimed at the sky, a wave of energy disintegrated every monster in the land.The war was over.Epilogue: Returning to AshShinjo dragged his broken body to the porch of his mother’s house. His arm was shattered, and his skin was starting to flake away into grey ash.The door flew open.

"SHINJO!"

Grace screamed.

"DADDY!"

Shinjo collapsed into Grace’s lap. Her warmth was the last thing he wanted to feel.

"I’m sorry, Grace... Alliah... I will always remember you. Love you both... forever and ever. Be strong... be healthy."

"DADDY! Please don't leave us!"

Alliah sobbed, clutching his hand as it turned to dust.

"Alliah... be good to your mom,"

Shinjo whispered, a peaceful smile forming on his face.

"Daddy will always be on your side."

As the sun rose over the Myogan Temple, Shinjo Atari faded away, his ashes dancing into the sky. He died not as a cursed warrior, but as the greatest father they could have ever asked for.

"Mom,"

Alliah looked at the sky, tears streaming down her face.

"I think... I'll see Father again one day.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***