Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

  A long period of silence fell between them.

  A cold breeze blew past, whisking up both their shirts.

  Kazufuru grit his teeth.

  "Lies! That's not what you really think at all!! You actually look down on me, don't you! You treat me as an idiot and despise me!! Otherwise, why… why is it that you're no longer even willing to be my friend after all this time!?"

  Seiji was rendered speechless.

  He felt that Kazufuru's words were rather subtle. Seiji revealed a strange expression.

  Kazufuru himself also felt that something was wrong with how he phrased his question after he said it out loud. However, he was unable to figure out any other way to express his feelings.

  "After that time, I thought that it would be fine to simply act as a regular classmate with you. It's not that I was looking down upon you or thinking that you were unworthy to become my friend," Seiji told him honestly. "I apologize if that's what you still minded after all this time."

  "I don't want your apology! I want… Natsuya Yoruhana!" Kazufuru managed to clear some of his thoughts.

  "That's impossible." Seiji's calm expression was instantly replaced by an emotionless one.

  "You… you really are looking down on me after all!"

  "No, this is disgust."

  "Is there a difference!?"

  "Of course there is. Disgust is on a deeper level compared to condescension."

  Kazufuru was rendered speechless.

  Another cold breeze blew past them.

  "You currently like Natsuya Yoruhana, is that correct?"

  "Yes."

  "And she also likes you?"

  "That's a question you'll have to ask her."

  Kazufuru took a deep look at Seiji.

  Seiji faced him directly.

  "…Even if I kill you, she probably wouldn't like me, would she." Moments later, Kazufuru slowly lowered his head. "No… I should say that even if you were never around to begin with, she wouldn't have liked me."

  Seiji remained silent.

  "In the end, I'm just an idiot," Kazufuru said sarcastically to himself. "From the very beginning."

  "Ooike-san…"

  "Shut up! I don't want to hear you talk right now."

  Kazufuru viciously glared at Seiji and clenched his fists tightly.

  Kazufuru's heart was currently filled with tumultuous yet indescribable emotions. He didn't even know what he was currently feeling. However, all he had left towards Seigo Harano before him was rage, not killing intent.

  'I am just an idiot after all…'

  Kazufuru clenched his fists even tighter. His body began to tremble and his eyes started becoming unfocused.

  He turned around so that Seigo would be unable to see his face.

  "You… just leave." With great difficulty, he managed to utter this short sentence.

  "Ooike-san…"

  "I said shut up! Stop talking to me!! Get the hell out of here!!!" Kazufuru began roaring.

  Tears seeped out from his eyes and his body kept trembling continuously.

  He heard the sound of footsteps gradually leaving.

  Once he no longer heard anything, Kazufuru kneeled down in the sandbox and destroyed his own sand castle with a punch!

  "Wahhhhhhhh!!!"

  He began to cry loudly.

  The pain from losing in love, his past regrets, his despair at facing death… all these emotions were too much for him to bear. He was breaking under the pressure.

  The excellent student kneeled in the sandbox, cried loudly, and forcefully tossed sand everywhere. Tears covered his face, as if he was a young child in pain.

  "I don't want to die… I don't want to die…"

  He knew that he would die when the five day time limit was up.

  He didn't want to sacrifice himself, but he was unable to kill the person he loathed so much. He didn't know what to do…


  'Why did I meet with such an incident… why…'

  "Someone, save me… I don't want to die… I want to live…"

  He was only a first-year high school student still in the prime of his life.

  He'd always worked hard, and he never did anything he considered immoral. He was quite proud of his own accomplishments.

  The road ahead should have been long for him. He still had so many things he wanted to do, and didn't want to die like this…


  "I want to live… I don't want to die… save me…"

  He cried in despair and called out for help using his very soul.

  "Ooike-san…"

  He felt as if he heard something.

  "Ooike-san…"

  This voice belonged to someone that should have left already.

  "Ooike-san… I've heard… your request for help…"

  This was a gentle and resolute voice that had the power to reassure others.

  Kazufuru turned around with his tear and snot-covered face to see that Seigo Harano was now crouching next to him and reaching out with his hand.

  "Let me help you."

  Seigo Harano was a Spiritual Ability user!

  Kazufuru was rather surprised to find this out. However, he was quite accepting of it.

  In fact, he even wondered why he never even considered this possibility before. After all, some of their classmates were already wondering if Seigo was a Spiritual Ability user.

  He should have figured it out… Why was he unable to see this?

  Kazufuru couldn't understand. He was confused about this for quite a while, and could only conclude that it was due to his own foolishness.

  Just like at the beginning when meeting Seigo Harano, he became foolish at a critical part.

  When he returned to his senses, Kazufuru discovered that he was now in a dojo.

  "I'm going to help dispel the curse on you here," Seiji told the excellent student. "The process might be risky, and also painful. You need to mentally prepare yourself."

  Kazufuru fell silent at this and nodded.

  Seiji had Kazufuru lie down on the floor, close his eyes, and relax his body. Seiji then began casting his spell.

  Seiji placed a barrier around Kazufuru and uttered an incantation that caused a golden-red mystical spell formation to appear.

  Runes appeared on Kazufuru's body. These runes gradually started emitting a black mist.

  "Urgh…"

  Once again, Kazufuru felt as if he was being branded with how hot and painful his chest felt. His body became incredibly rigid.

  Kazufuru did his best to bear the pain. Some time later, he felt something within his body begin to stir, as if there was a living creature inside him which had been disturbed from its slumber.

  Then, even greater pain flooded over him. His body felt as if it was literally being torn apart and burned, yet he also felt an incomparable chill…


  "Waargghhhhh!!!"

  He heard an ear-piercing shriek.

  It took a second for Kazufuru to realize that he himself was the one who was screaming.

  He forced his eyes open and saw Seigo Harano who had a serious expression right now… no, he was looking down at Seigo!

  Kazufuru confusedly realized that he was apparently in midair and checked himself, only to discover that he was currently within a pitch-black dimensional space together with a green crystal. And… he had transformed into a gigantic monster!?

  A blood-red gigantic body, dark-green ugly arms, and sharp black claws… just what was this!?

  He wanted to ask this out loud, but when he tried speaking, his words became nothing more than a vicious roar!

  "Ooike-san, is your consciousness still in there!? If so, please nod!" Seiji shouted to the monster.

  This gigantic monster had a viciously distorted expression, long red fangs, wild hair, and long green horns on top of its head that were glowing with a cold light. This was unmistakably a powerful demon!

  Kazufuru wanted to nod and say that he was still within this demon. However, his body was no longer under his control.

  'So hot… so painful…


  'Kill… kill…


  'What… have I become…


  'Kill… kill… kill…


  'Why… did things become like this…


  'Kill… kill… kill… KILL!!!'

  A strong wave of pain buried his consciousness, and he was filled with the desire to slaughter. This caused Kazufuru to wave his giant arm and viciously smash towards the person across from him!

  "Hurry and run!"

  Kazufuru's barely remaining consciousness wanted to shout that in warning to Seigo Harano. Yet, he was unable to utter any human language as what came out of his mouth was only demonic shouting.

  Seigo, who always seemed so tall and strong to him, was now only as short as a young child in comparison. If he managed to hit Seigo, it would definitely kill him…


  *Boom!!*

  The giant claw smashed into the ground.

  Seigo Harano dodged the attack at a speed that Kazufuru wasn't even able to discern!

  "If you've lost your consciousness, I apologize, because that means I'm not going to go easy on you." Seiji looked at the powerful demon. "Ooike-san, you'll have to bear with me."

  The next second, Kazufuru noticed Seigo being covered with a golden mist as golden runes appeared on his skin. His hair also transformed into long, free-flowing golden hair which was brilliantly shiny and gave him an incredible aura!

  Did he… just transform?

  Kazufuru's remnant consciousness was shocked by this scene.

  Was this Seigo Harano's true form?