The gray light of morning filtered through the grimy window, a stark contrast to the vibrant chaos of the previous day. I blinked, the events replaying in my mind like a broken film reel. The clash with the Yomurei, the desperate escape, the uneasy alliance… and now, this. I was sprawled uncomfortably on a worn couch in a place that smelled faintly of dust and something metallic. It was Kouki's cooking that had eventually dragged me from the depths of sleep, a sound so ordinary it felt surreal after the extraordinary events I'd witnessed.

  I pushed myself up, wincing as my muscles protested. Sleeping on this couch was hardly restful. Peeking into the hallway, I saw Yuuto's silhouette disappear into the bathroom. His hair, usually so carefully styled, was a wild tangle, evidence of a restless night. He looked tired, burdened, older than his years.

  "He must be their leader…" The thought echoed in my mind, a persistent question mark hanging over the situation. "I haven't even seen his face clearly yet, not really." The flicker of candlelight the previous night hadn’t allowed for much more than fleeting impressions.

  I straightened my clothes, trying to appear presentable despite feeling far from it. As I moved towards the kitchen, the events of the past few days weighed heavily on me. The destruction, the power I had unleashed, the shifting alliances… It was all too much to process so quickly.

  Kouki, humming softly to himself, was expertly flipping something in a pan. The aroma was surprisingly appealing, a mix of soy sauce, garlic, and something vaguely sweet. He glanced up as I entered, his expression warm and welcoming.

  "Already awake, Ren? We're taking you back to the academy after breakfast," he said, his tone casual, as if kidnapping and fighting off hordes of monsters was an everyday occurrence.

  "What time are we leaving?" I asked, trying to match his nonchalant demeanor. A sliver of anxiety gnawed at me. Returning to the academy felt like stepping back into a life that no longer fit.

  "Yuuto said we're going at 9 AM. We have a mission later, so we need to leave early," Kouki replied, his focus returning to the pan. He expertly plated the food, a colorful stir-fry that looked far more appetizing than anything I’d eaten in weeks.

  Yuuto emerged from the bathroom, looking significantly more composed. His hair was neatly styled, his uniform impeccably clean. He was the picture of a responsible leader, a stark contrast to the disheveled figure I’d seen moments earlier.

  "Oh! I don't think I've properly introduced myself, Ren Kazenagi. My name is Yuuto Hienami, and I'm the leader of this team. We call ourselves Team Rinkazan. Nice to meet you!" he said, extending his hand with a sincere smile.

  His grip was firm, his eyes direct. There was an underlying intensity there, something that hinted at the darkness beneath his composed exterior.

  "Nice to meet you too," I responded, forcing a smile of my own. The gesture felt awkward, rehearsed. Trust didn’t come easily to me, especially now.

  He sat down at the table, his gaze unwavering. "Aya still asleep?" Yuuto asked Kouki, a hint of amusement in his voice.

  "Well, what else would you expect? She's Aya," Kouki said, chuckling as he placed the plates on the table and served the food. The aroma filled the small room, a temporary distraction from the tension that hung in the air.

  Yuuto chuckled softly, the sound genuine. He seemed like the type of person who genuinely cared about those around him. "Kazenagi-kun, I apologize for not meeting you last night. I was overseeing the rebuilding of the houses and buildings destroyed by your fight with the Yomurei."

  His words were sincere, filled with genuine remorse. It was a strange thing to hear from someone who had essentially kidnapped me, but I couldn't deny the authenticity of his concern.

  I considered this. He wasn't just a regular Yomu executioner; he was a leader who felt responsible for his people. Judging by his appearance, demeanor, and way of life, it seemed almost impossible for him to have any enemies. At least, that was my initial impression, but the previous night had cast a shadow of doubt on everything.

  We began eating without Aya, who was still lost in the depths of slumber. "Time to eat," the three of us said almost in unison, a strange sense of camaraderie settling over the table.

  Aya finally emerged from her room, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "You guys are already awake… you guys already started eating?! You didn't even wait for me," she complained, punctuating her words with a loud yawn.

  "You're not a morning person, as always, huh?" Kouki teased, his expression affectionate.

  "Whatever you say…" Aya grumbled, pulling up a chair. "By the way, Sumeragi-san and I exchanged numbers last night. If you guys need to contact her, just ask me," she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

  "Ayaka did?" I asked, surprised. That seemed out of character for her.

  "Yeah, I told her that Yuuto wasn't back yet and suggested we exchange numbers so I wouldn't have to call so late," Aya explained, heading to the bathroom to splash water on her face.

  The casual exchange felt…wrong. It was as if we were pretending everything was normal, glossing over the fact that I’d been kidnapped, that trust had been broken, that something fundamental had shifted between us.

  [Last Night]

  Ayaka paced restlessly in her dorm room, the weight of worry pressing down on her. She hadn't been able to sleep, her mind racing with questions and anxieties. Ren was out there, in the hands of strangers, and she felt powerless to help.

  "Can you tell us what time you'll be bringing Ren back?" she asked Aya over the phone, trying to keep her voice steady.

  "Hmm… our leader isn't back yet. He usually plans what we're going to do on any given day," Aya replied, her tone casual, almost dismissive.

  Their leader is the one who always makes the plans? Are they kids? Ayaka thought to herself, frustration simmering beneath the surface. She needed information, and Aya wasn't making it easy.

  "How about this? Sumeragi-san, do you have a cellphone?" Aya asked, breaking the silence.

  "Yes… do you want my number?" Ayaka responded, a flicker of hope igniting within her.

  "Yes! That way, I won't call later and can just text you," Aya said enthusiastically.

  "Sure," Ayaka replied, scribbling down the number on a nearby notepad. Any connection, no matter how tenuous, was worth pursuing.

  After that, Ayaka gave her number to Aya, and Aya gave her number to Ayaka. It was a small gesture, but it felt like a lifeline.

  "There…" Ayaka said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  "Thank you," Aya said, the simple words carrying a weight of unspoken meaning.

  [Present Time]

  After Aya finished in the bathroom, she joined us at the table, immediately steering the conversation towards more… provocative territory. "Ren, how is living with the Sumeragi youngest daughter? Got any feelings for her?" Aya teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

  I choked, spitting out a mouthful of stir-fry. The unexpected question caught me completely off guard. I gasped for air, my face flushed crimson. "Hey, Kazenagi-kun, are you alright?" Yuuto asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

  "It's because Aya always loves to tease others but hates being teased herself," Kouki explained, rolling his eyes at Aya's antics.

  I coughed and took a large gulp of water, trying to regain my composure. "Sorry, Ren… looks like I got a little too excited," Aya apologized, but her smirk suggested otherwise.

  "It's alright, Aya. Ayaka… and Tatsuya, I think of them as friends. Maybe, in the future, I hope that the three of us will always have each other's backs and get along," I said, my words sincere, a plea for things to return to normal, even though I knew that was impossible.

  "You're really a nice person," Yuuto said, his smile genuine. "I wish you were the one we met instead of some trash executioner," he added, almost under his breath, so softly that I almost didn't hear him.

  My ears perked up. What did he mean by that?

  "What did you say?" I asked, tilting my head slightly, trying to catch his eyes.

  "No, it's nothing. We better hurry. We still have a mission after taking Kazenagi-kun back to the academy," he said quickly, flashing another smile, though it seemed forced this time. He was hiding something, I was sure of it. The casual facade was cracking, revealing the unease beneath. I didn't think much of it, assuming he had his own problems, but the words lingered in my mind, a discordant note in an otherwise harmonious melody.

  [Team Gesshoku Dorm]

  Tatsuya sat stiffly on the couch, the flickering television light reflecting in his emotionless eyes. He had grabbed a handful of crackers from the fridge, but he hadn't touched them. His senses were on high alert, a constant hum of unease vibrating beneath his stoic exterior.

  It was 8:56 in the morning. Tatsuya grabbed some snacks from the fridge and sat on the couch, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV. Ayaka was washing the dishes; they had just finished breakfast.

  "A snack so early in the day? You'll get fat, Tatsuya. You'll lose your title as the third strongest Yomu Executioner in the academy," she teased while wiping her hands, trying to inject a note of normalcy into the tension-filled atmosphere.

  "I'll train with my sword later. Right now, I just need to relax," he said, his usual stoic expression in place, but Ayaka could sense the undercurrent of anxiety beneath his calm facade.

  "If you need me, I'll be training in the backyard. I want to take advantage of this opportunity. It's hot outside, so my ice might melt, so I will try to make an ice that will not melt even with a high degree," Ayaka said, trying to distract herself from the worry that gnawed at her.

  "Good luck," Tatsuya said, not looking up from the TV, but his words lacked their usual dismissive tone.

  Ayaka went to her room, put on her uniform, and readied her sword. As she was preparing her uniform, she received a message on her phone.

  "We're already on our way, Sumeragi-san! I hope you're excited to see Ren again!?" It was a message from Aya.

  The message sent a chill down her spine. It felt…wrong. Too cheerful, too casual.

  Ayaka smiled and texted back, forcing herself to maintain a semblance of normalcy, "I told you that we only think of each other as friends. But thanks again for keeping Ren safe."

  Aya replied with a smiley face emoji and a heart. The emoji felt mocking, a blatant lie designed to lull her into a false sense of security.

  After that, Ayaka left her room. "Tatsuya, Shionari-san said they're on their way to bring Ren back. Be sure to greet him with a smile," she said, forcing a lightness into her voice that she didn't feel. She had to keep her emotions in check, to project an image of calm for Tatsuya's sake.

  "Why do I have this feeling… it keeps troubling me. It feels like something is wrong," Tatsuya said silently, grabbing the remote and changing the channel to the news, seeking some distraction from the oppressive atmosphere.

  "...ongoing hunt for a strong Yomurei, it is stated—" The news report was cut off abruptly, the scene changing, as if someone had deliberately censored the information.

  The wheels of the vehicle spun, the engine roaring. We were inside the car. Kouki was driving, with Aya beside him, and I was sitting next to Yuuto. The scenery blurred past, a monotonous landscape that mirrored my inner turmoil.

  "I know Aya said that we wouldn't force you to tell us about your hidden powers—it might be related—but can I ask something?" Yuuto asked, turning to face me, making direct eye contact. He looked serious, his expression unreadable.

  My heart pounded in my chest. What was he planning?

  "Sure… ask away," I replied cautiously, my senses on high alert. I knew I still couldn't fully trust them, but something about their personalities made me think that telling them wouldn't necessarily be harmful. At the same time, something inside me didn't want to reveal my secret, the darkness that lurked beneath the surface.

  "Has the world ever rejected you?"

  The question was profound, echoing in my head, hitting a raw nerve. It was a question I had asked myself many times, a question that haunted my dreams. I didn't know how to answer. "Umm… what do you mean by that?" I asked, feigning ignorance, trying to deflect the intensity of his gaze.

  Yuuto smiled, a sad, knowing smile that sent a chill down my spine. He sensed the serious mood and trying to lighten it. "I'm sorry, Kazenagi-kun. I guess you're still too young to answer that question. Then I'll change it: when did you first discover your powers?"

  I hesitated to answer, my mind racing. How much should I reveal? How much could I trust them? I knew that I only trusted them fifty-fifty. They hadn't fully earned my trust yet. So, I decided to tell a partial truth, mixed with some lies, a carefully crafted narrative designed to protect myself. "My story is pretty boring. It was four years ago; I was attacked by a Yomurei and almost died. That was when I first used it. I didn't have much control and didn't know how to hold back… that's why I killed the Yomurei in an instant. But it was just a low-ranking Yomurei," I said, forcing a smile at Yuuto. "See? Pretty boring, right?"

  "Well, I don't find it boring. It's interesting. I won't ask how you obtained it—maybe even now you probably still don't know—but your powers can change everything," Yuuto said, his eyes gleaming with an unreadable intensity.

  As I suspected, he would always say nice things, even if it meant lying. What a nice person he was. Then, suddenly, Kouki made a turn, leaving the main road and heading down a narrow, dirt track.

  "Isn't that road the one that leads to the academy?" I asked, confused, my anxiety spiking. We were going the wrong way.

  "There's construction ahead, from yesterday. The destroyed buildings and houses are being reconstructed, so it'll take a while if we go that way," Yuuto explained, his voice smooth and reassuring, but I didn't believe him. He was lying.

  I decided to believe him, at least for now. I wasn't familiar with the area, so I couldn't keep complaining, but a knot of suspicion tightened in my stomach. Something was very wrong.

  Ayaka was practicing her ice techniques in the Sumeragi family's training grounds, hidden deep beneath the academy. The air was frigid, the temperature carefully controlled to prevent her ice from melting. She was pushing herself to the limit, trying to create ice that could withstand even the most intense heat. The Sumeragi family was known for producing the strongest Yomu Executioners, wielding the Ice Shin'en. But since it wasn't a training ground, Ayaka couldn't fully unleash her power, so she was holding back during her practice.

  The dorm's backyard was a plain field covered in grass, lacking any barriers for Shin'en training. Ayaka stabbed the ground with her sword. Ice spread across the ground, stopping five meters away from her, rising up into sharp formations. But the ice kept melting, leaving pools of water on the ground. "This is really exhausting," Ayaka said, wiping her brow, frustration evident in her voice.

  Tatsuya walked towards her. "Sumeragi…" he said, his voice neutral, but Ayaka sensed the concern beneath his stoic facade.

  "Tatsuya… finally going to train? Oh, by the way, this is the first time I've heard you call my name. But I prefer if you call me by my first name," Ayaka said, trying to lighten the mood, but her attempt fell flat.

  "Never mind that. I just want to warm up before joining a battle," Tatsuya said, his gaze distant, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.

  "What battle?" Ayaka asked, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew, deep down, that something was about to happen.

  "Any battle that will happen anytime. You never know what will happen, after all," he replied cryptically, his words sending a chill down her spine.

  "You have a point there. Then let's both do our best!" Ayaka said, forcing a smile, trying to project an image of strength and confidence, even though she felt anything but.

  Tatsuya drew his sword, a faint crackle of lightning emanating from it, illuminating his face with an eerie glow.

  After an hour and a half, they were both tired, their muscles aching, their energy depleted. "I'm definitely exhausted after an hour and a half. I'm going back inside to rest," Ayaka said, stretching her sore muscles.

  "Me too," Tatsuya agreed, sheathing his sword, his expression unreadable.

  Both of them went back to their room. Ayaka put her phone down on the couch, and they both wiped off their sweat. Tatsuya grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge and a glass. He poured the water into the glass and drank deeply. Ayaka also grabbed a glass and poured some cold water into a container, drinking it.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  "So refreshing…" Ayaka sighed, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to block out the тревожные feelings that swirled within her.

  "Ren still hasn't come back. Kamakura to Shinjuku… in a car, it should take about an hour. Unless they're stuck in traffic," Tatsuya said, glancing at the clock, his voice filled with a subtle unease.

  "You're right. Maybe we should just wait. We're not in a hurry; we're going back to the academy tomorrow, after all," Ayaka said, trying to reassure herself, but her words rang hollow.

  While they were talking, both of them heard a sharp sound: a notification on Ayaka's phone. She grabbed her phone from the couch, opened it, and saw that Aya had sent a picture. It was of me, tied to a chair, the background dark. The only light came from a single bulb above me. Aya had left a message.

  "Ayaka Sumeragi and Tatsuya Rendo, your friend Ren Kazenagi is in our hands. If you wish to save him, go to this location."

  Aya sent a picture of the location on the maps app. The message continued:

  "Both of you must come alone. If you tell anyone, we will kill Ren. Remember, we have eyes on you."

  The message ended there, leaving Ayaka and Tatsuya reeling in shock and disbelief.

  "What is this…?! Shionari-san?! There's no way she would do something like this!" Ayaka exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief, her eyes wide with horror.

  "You can't judge a person just because they seem nice. Everyone has hidden sides. Calm down for now," Tatsuya said, his voice even, his expression unchanged, but Ayaka could sense the tension in his body, the coiled energy ready to explode.

  "You're right. Overthinking won't help. I need to calm down." Ayaka took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure, to analyze the situation logically. "She said they have eyes on us. If she's bluffing, we can call for help, but we don't know if she's really bluffing or not. She said they are Sen-rank, so I believe we have a chance against them. But I also don't know if she's lying or not." Ayaka began to strategize, her mind racing, trying to formulate a plan.

  "As expected of the second-ranked student in terms of knowledge at the academy… but I think we should go alone. We don't know what happened, but I trust Ren," Tatsuya said, his gaze firm, his voice unwavering.

  "Maybe the reason they want Ren is because of his powers. But I also trust Ren; he wouldn't reveal his powers easily. If possible, I want to avoid a fight and try to talk to them. But if things get too out of hand, we'll have no choice but to fight," Ayaka said, her expression grim.

  When Shionari-san asked Sumeragi about Ren last night… she didn't ask directly. She was trying to get Sumeragi to reveal Ren's hidden power by acting curious and shocked. That made Sumeragi lower her guard and almost tell you about Ren, Tatsuya thought to himself, obviously, "No."

  "I see. You're such a lucky person, Kazenagi-kun." Yuuto's voice deepened, becoming laced with a venomous hatred. His face contorted with disgust, a grotesque mask of bitterness and resentment. "This is why I hate people like you."

  A jolt of fear surged through me. His words were like a punch to the gut, shattering the illusion of friendship and revealing the true nature of his animosity.

  I tried to free my hands, which were tied tightly behind the chair, using a sharp sliver of Shin'en I had managed to conjure. It was a desperate attempt, born of pure panic, but I had to try something.

  Yuuto moved closer to a chair that was off to the side. He brought it over and sat down in front of me, his eyes fixed on my struggles. "It's no use. That rope is made from Aya's Shin'en. Her Shin'en makes any material hard to break; in other words, you aren't strong enough to break it."

  He had already seen what I was trying to do, and he was right: I couldn't cut the rope. It was as if it were made of steel, resistant to my every effort. I looked at him with furious eyes, a mixture of anger and despair boiling inside me. "Why don't I tell you more about ourselves before your friends arrive? They're taking their time getting here," he said, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

  I didn't say anything, knowing that any attempt to argue or plead would be pointless. All I could do was listen to his twisted story, to try and understand the motivations behind his betrayal.

  "The three of us have been friends since we were kids. We didn't have any parents; they abandoned us to live their own happy lives. My parents abandoned me because they didn't want to sacrifice themselves when attacked by a Yomurei. When I was only a month old, they left me outside on the sidewalk in the rain. A kind lady saw me crying and took me inside a small house. It wasn't beautiful or well-built, but it was warm. There were also two other kids inside, a boy and a girl. They didn't have names, and neither did I. In fact, we didn't even know if our parents had named us, so the kind lady gave us names but different last names: Kouki, Aya, and me… Yuuto. Even though she was poor, she still gave us food. Sometimes, we didn't even see her eat; instead, she gave us her food. We turned 13 years old, and we lived like that every day. It was enough for us to be happy. We started calling her Mom. She taught us many things: being kind, being thankful to others, and, most of all, not fighting over unnecessary things.

  "One day, the three of us were walking in the village. It was small, but it had clean water, delicious food, and some people even had money. We saw Mom on the ground, her basket of vegetables spilled everywhere. People were gathered around her."

  "'You bitch! You should leave the village with your delinquent kids. You don't belong here,' a man said. It looked like he had pushed her to the ground, causing the commotion. We pushed through the crowd. 'Mom!' I said. We helped her up. 'Don't worry, Mom, we're here,' Aya said. 'What did you do to her?!' Kouki demanded."

  "'You filthy poor people don't belong here; in fact, you don't belong in this world. You should have been killed by the Yomurei,' the man spat. The crowd cheered as if they were on the man's side."

  "'Hey—!' Kouki started, but Mom cut him off, grabbing his shoulders. 'It's okay, don't mind him. We should head back home,' she said, remaining calm as if she had no intention of fighting.

  "'Heh… weak woman, that's why you're not needed here.' The man spat on the ground, almost hitting Mom's face, and left. The crowd dispersed, and we went back to our house. After we entered, I exploded. 'Why won't you fight back?! Those idiots don't know how kind you are! You should protect yourself more than us!' I yelled, unable to hold back. It wasn't my intention, but I couldn't control my anger.

  "She knelt down in front of me and touched my cheeks, her hands warm, calming me down a little. 'Do you remember what I told you, Yuuto? Don't fight in a meaningless fight,' she said.

  "'Was what happened earlier meaningless?' Aya asked, her voice tight.

  "'Yes, fighting against humans isn't our job. It's protecting them, protecting them from Yomurei.' She gently pulled Kouki and Aya closer to us. 'Will you three become Yomu Executioners and protect humanity, not fight against it?' Her voice was gentle, as if she was ready to die without regrets.

  "I teared up, fighting back my sobs. I wanted to be an executioner, and so did Kouki and Aya. We knew that the academy was for kids who had lost their homes, families, and loved ones, so we could always attend. There are plenty of academies in Japan, but the most famous is in Tokyo. But of course, we didn't have money to get there, so we enrolled at the nearest academy. It wasn't as large as the one in Tokyo, but the education and training were the same. She had a reason why she wanted us to be Yomu Executioners, maybe because she wanted us to live on our own and not rely on her forever.

  "We entered our new life at the academy, but things didn't go as we expected. After a week of hard work, it was time to test our skills: the training combat. Instructors watched our performance. The three of us were unlucky; the training combat was hard for us. The other students passed as expected, but things were different for us. The training involved controlling Shin'en, using our weapons to fight wooden dummies, and finally the easiest test, which we didn't even complete: forming a stable Shin'en circle. In this training, three students from one group gather their Shin'en and connect them to create one stable flow. This was the most basic skill, already part of controlling the Shin'en.

  "The moment we tried it, our Shin'en clashed and broke apart, leaving particles on the ground.

  "'They're too weak, even at this level. Do they even want to be executioners at this point?'

  "'This year's students are all great, except for these three. They have low grades and even failed the training. I'm starting to think that their Shin'en is below 5; even a newborn child is higher than them.'

  "We heard the instructors talking about us. We didn't like what we heard, but it was the truth. Soon, the rumor spread around the academy.

  "'Kids who got lower Shin'en than a newborn child.'

  "That was the main topic everyone talked about, even in our classroom. We felt like we didn't belong. But we endured it for years. We used the ReiGauge, and as the instructors expected, our Shin'en was lower than 5. It was 3 and 4. A normal person has more than 20, but not us. For three years, we endured the torture, the hellish training, and the students who looked at us with disgust. Our Shin'en only went up to 30. We were walking down the hallway, and people kept talking about us, whispering to each other.

  "One man stepped in front of us; he was good-looking. He was the top student in training combat and exams. His combination of physical and mental strength made him respected by all the students and instructors. His name was Takumi Aoyagi.

  "'I don't want to sound rude, so I'll get to the point. Hienami, Shionari, and Enkuroda, please leave the academy. You're distracting the students and making them feel like you're a burden.'

  "I had enough. One peaceful night, we were eating dinner. 'I know the three of you will surely be strong Yomu Executioners. I know it,' Mom tried to cheer us up.

  "We heard noises from outside. We couldn't hear clearly, so I went near the window and opened it. I saw people getting killed by Yomurei. 'Don't kill me!' 'Please save me!' 'Where are the executioners?!' They shouted, they screamed, they fell into despair.

  "For some reason, I liked the view. But I knew we weren't safe, so I told Kouki and Aya what was happening, as well as Mom. We prepared our weapons, ready to fight. I didn't have any intentions of saving the village; just Mom was enough. But I was still a Yomu Executioner, so it was my duty to fight the Yomurei. Kouki and I went outside while Aya stayed inside, protecting Mom. We couldn't evacuate because the Yomurei were everywhere. The Yomurei detector hadn't been invented yet, so people were scared to go outside.

  "Kouki and I fought the Yomurei. One Yomurei came at me from behind, and Kouki immediately slashed it with his sword. Another one jumped from the roof of a house. Kouki used his Shin'en to blow the Yomurei away, and it landed on a group of them. It still wasn't enough. There was no choice but to evacuate and leave. The academy would handle it. I told Ayaka that, and we left the house, heading towards the academy. The three of us used ourselves as shields to protect Mom. The Yomurei were only low-level, like D and D+. We saw the man who pushed Mom to the ground three years ago, the one who said we didn't belong there.

  "'It's him...' Aya said.

  "'Leave him be! We don't have time to rescue him!' I said, but the truth was I just didn't want to save him. But Mom was too kind. 'Yuuto, aren't you an executioner? It's your job to protect people, even if you hate them.'

  "I couldn't just go back and disobey Mom's words. While there were no Yomurei nearby, I immediately ran towards the Yomurei who was attacking him and cut it in half. 'Are you okay?!' I asked.

  "'You are... why did you help me...?'

  "'I didn't want to, but Mom insisted.' I helped him up.

  "'Sorry, and thank you,' that's all he said, no more words. After that, we ran towards the exit of the village. Many Yomurei were gathered there, but why? I didn't think; we had to make it to the academy safely.

  "'There's too many!' Kouki said, fear in his voice.

  "'Don't lose hope! I'm sure the reinforcements from the academy will be here soon! We just have to bear with it!' I said. There was an opening where only one person could escape, but the Yomurei needed to be distracted to get through it. I considered sacrificing the man but knew Mom would be disappointed. The Yomurei surrounded us, slowly walking towards us, as if they were watching what we would do next. One Yomurei leaped towards Aya. She reached out her hands to touch it, but before she could, it scratched her on her arm, and it bled. But the moment she touched it, it slowly turned into stone. I used my sword and swung it. The wind blew hard, and the Yomurei were thrown away. While they were all piled up, Kouki leaped from the air and stabbed all the Yomurei.

  "One grabbed his foot, and he couldn't escape. It tore his leg. He screamed in agony. 'Kouki!' Aya and I screamed. I rushed towards the weakened Yomurei and cut off its hand, which had Kouki's leg. 'Yuuto! Look out!' I heard Aya shout. I looked back, and the Yomurei with its hand sharpened like a sword was about to stab me.

  "'I don't have enough time to move!' I thought. As it sliced the air, I closed my eyes and heard a stabbing sound with blood splattering. I opened my eyes; it was Aya. She was holding the Yomurei and turning it into stone, so the hand inside her chest also turned into stone, leaving a hole in her chest. Her body slammed to the ground. The rain started pouring slowly. I didn't know what to do. I saw Mom and the man getting surrounded by Yomurei now that Aya was gone. 'Mom!' I shouted. I left Kouki and Aya on the ground, my eyes only focused on Mom. But as soon as I got there, a heavy gravity pushed me into the ground, and I watched helplessly. The man tried to save himself. He pushed Mom, using her as a decoy and distraction from the Yomurei while he escaped through the opening where the Yomurei weren't. As she fell, she was smiling, tears dropping from her eyes. She slammed the ground while I was still on the ground because of the gravitational force. I watched her get killed by the Yomurei.

  "'Mom...? Mom! Kouki! Aya! Mom... Kouki... Aya....' My voice weakened. 'There's no more reason for me to live. Why are you smiling? Didn't you hate that man? Didn't you hate the people around you? Did you even hate them...?' I was about to faint, but when I heard the sound of Yomurei dying, I immediately felt awake. The force was gone, and I could stand again. Kouki and Aya were fine; they were asleep on the ground. Kouki's leg was attached, and the hole in Aya's chest was gone. What happened? I saw a man; he wore an executioner's uniform. I couldn't clearly see his face. He was strong, for me. But for the people, he was only fighting low-rank Yomurei. But he was fast; the Yomurei didn't even have a chance.

  "He killed all the Yomurei all by himself, then came to me and reached out his hand. 'I will give you a reason; join me, and I'll grant your wish.'

  "That's why we joined him. We knew that doing good for people only to be treated as trash was pointless. I started hating the world, not just the world but also my Mom. I wonder why she smiled when she died?" Yuuto finally finished telling me his story, his voice devoid of emotion, his eyes hollow.

  But there was more to it, I knew. He was holding back, concealing something vital. What was the wish that the mysterious figure had promised to grant? And what was the ultimate goal of their alliance?

  "Now then…" Yuuto stood up from his seat, his movements fluid and predatory. "Your friends are here."

  Suddenly, the metal door was kicked open with explosive force, the metal buckling inward. But instead of splintering wood or twisted steel, a wave of shimmering ice erupted from the opening, sealing the door in a thick layer of frost.

  "Ren! We're here to rescue you!" Ayaka shouted, her voice echoing through the room, a beacon of hope cutting through the darkness. Her eyes were blazing with fury, her sword gripped tightly in her hand. Beside her stood Tatsuya, his expression grim, lightning crackling around his blade, ready to strike.