Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

  'Become just like Seigo Harano, or perhaps even stronger…'

  The excellent student was once again shaken by the prospect as he recalled Seigo's shiny golden figure.

  Although he felt it would be impossible, he still couldn't help but hope. Even if he couldn't become the same, he would be able to at least obtain similar strength… right?

  Kazufuru forced himself to remain calm as he responded, "No… I don't believe it! Strength isn't something that can be obtained so easily. And even if I can obtain such strength, I'd probably have to pay a scary price."

  "Pretty smart, bro. Indeed, strength isn't something that can be obtained so easily. But, my experiment is no ordinary experiment." The gray-clothed man smiled. "You have the potential talent, so it's possible. It's quite worth it even though there's some risk involved."

  "I don't want to gamble!"

  "Don't say that. Plenty of people don't even have the chance to take this gamble. You're still young. You still don't know just how dirty this world can be. Hard work is basically meaningless for ordinary people… no, completely meaningless." The gray-clothed man's expression turned icy. "Hard work might have zero returns. And, even if one is fortunate enough to obtain something, others who are naturally born into high positions will easily steal everything away from you! Even if you kneel and beg, you won't receive any pity! Even if you abandon your pride and lick others' shoes like a dog, you'll just be kicked away! Even if you give everything you have, hoping only to protect the most important little thing to you, you'll only be made fun of and trampled upon!!"

  The powerful feelings within his words and expression once again stunned Kazufuru.

  "You still haven't seen much of the world, but you should at least know some things, bro. No matter what you do, there will always be insurmountable obstacles and existences that you can't overcome. Ordinary people are just like livestock forever locked in a cage, only waiting for others to execute them," the gray-clothed man continued.

  "Who is the livestock and who is the master? All of this was determined from birth, thanks to this sheetty world and its sheetty rules! Only by obtaining strength can you turn around the tables! Only strength can allow livestock to become a man! There's no other solution!! Right now, you have such a chance, an incredibly lucky chance. You're truly amazingly fortunate."

  He took a deep look into Kazufuru's eyes.

  "Obtain this strength and become a real person. Or, give up on this only lucky chance in your life and continue to be an ordinary person who's nothing more than livestock… choose for yourself."

  "…I can choose?"

  "Yeah. If you choose to give up, I'll stop this experiment and let you go. I don't care either way, as I could just do this same experiment on someone else."

  Kazufuru fell silent.

  "Quite an interesting expression you have there, bro." The gray-clothed man chuckled. "I'm a maniac who acts on whatever I'm currently feeling like. Perhaps I really will let you go, or maybe I'm lying to you right now. Judge for yourself."

  Kazufuru furrowed his eyebrows.

  "What exactly is this experiment? What will happen to me if it succeeds? And what will happen to me if it fails?"

  "Good questions. It's good that you're interested." The gray-clothed man was obviously delighted. "As for the experiment, that's a secret. If it succeeds, you'll awaken to become a very powerful Spiritual Ability user. I don't know exactly how powerful you'll be, but you'll definitely be powerful. Oh, and there might be some side effects when you use your power, but you should be able to take it. As for if the experiment fails, there's all sorts of possibilities… but in any case, you'll probably survive in the end."

  Kazufuru furrowed his eyebrows even deeper.

  "I apologize that I'm being so vague. Still, this experiment's risk-reward ratio is quite good. The price for losing is still quite acceptable, so it's really an excellent gamble."

  "You're not the one gambling, so of course it's an excellent gamble to you!"

  "I've already made this gamble, bro." The gray-clothed man smiled. "That was a truly frightening experience as the experiment I went through was far more dangerous than the one I want to perform on you. It was also incredibly painful. Even a maniac wouldn't want to experience it for a second time."

  Although he sounded light-hearted, his words contained a deep darkness.

  "…Why did you do such a thing?" Kazufuru looked at him.

  "Because I'm already insane."

  "Why did you go insane?"

  "Because I met what was only natural for livestock like me to go through," the gray-clothed man continued in a casual tone of voice. "This livestock didn't know that he was livestock and believed himself to be a human. He lived blissfully until he was slaughtered one day. Such things happen every day at every moment. Livestock that believe themselves to be people will be slaughtered and die in pain and despair. Most won't even know why they died. Actually, it's fine, as that's how the world really is. It's just that the livestock are foolish to not have seen the world for what it is. I was fortunate enough to survive at the cost of my sanity. But now, I can see things clearly. That's just how it is."

  Kazufuru remained silent.

  "You have the ability to see things clearly as well. Or, perhaps I should say that you can already see things clearly, because right now you're just like livestock that can only be at my mercy whether to be slaughtered or not." The gray-clothed man chuckled lightheartedly. "It would be truly a simple task for me to kill you, bro. Or, I could also do whatever else I wanted to you and I wouldn't receive any punishment from the law at all. Even if that 'truly strong' person who helped you dispel the curse tries to take revenge for you, he won't be able to find me… No, he won't even be able to find you, because I won't leave any traces behind. If I kill you, you'll simply die, and nothing will be left."

  Kazufuru felt a chill in his soul.

  He had only been able to get out unscathed after being cursed by this man's item due to Seigo Harano's assistance.

  Would he be able to count on Seigo's assistance this time after being kidnapped?

  Obviously not!

  He was kidnapped while he was asleep. He didn't know what time it was currently. Seigo wouldn't find out about this incident until the morning at the very earliest. And even if he learned about this incident, how could Seigo possibly find him?

  Seigo Harano was quite strong, but he was no god.

  Kazufuru was deeply aware of his own situation.

  "…If I obtain power, the first thing I'm going to do is kill you!" He glared at the gray-clothed man.

  "Nice look in your eyes. It seems that you've decided to take this opportunity. Excellent."

  "Even if I refuse, I bet you wouldn't let me go regardless."

  "No, I would have. It's just that this time, I would have completely wiped your memories. You'd become a babbling idiot who'd likely be struck by a car the instant you walked onto a street."

  "You bastard!!"

  "You made the correct decision, bro. There's a reward in it for you." The gray-clothed man grinned. "The reward is that after completing this experiment, no matter what the result is, I won't harm you any further. How nice, don't you think?"

  "No matter what the result is, I'm going to kill you!!" Kazufuru shouted furiously.

  "Very good. Treat me as your mortal enemy, and do your very best to survive! Go from livestock to being a man… no, a predator!!" The gray-clothed man laughed maniacally.

  He then activated a spell formation that he previously prepared. A dark-green glow instantly illuminated the room as countless runes appeared. A blinding red light which seemed like it would swallow everything soon appeared from the runes.

  Kazufuru's vision darkened and his consciousness went hazy.

  He felt as if he was sinking into something dark and icy. His chest started burning up in an increasingly painful manner.

  It was as if he was continually sinking in water yet also floating in midair. His consciousness was barely hanging on ambiguously.

  He faintly felt red light passing him by with a voice speaking.

  'So cold, so burning, so painful…'

  Kazufuru did his best to maintain his consciousness. However, he gradually faded and melded into the darkness.

  'I'm going to die… damn it…'

  He wanted to live, he wanted to be saved, he wanted to see that shiny golden figure again, he wanted to have power just like that person…


  'I want to survive! I want to become stronger!!'

  As Kazufuru struggled to his utmost to survive, right before his mind completely disappeared, he faintly heard a mysterious ethereal female voice.

  "…Sign the contract."