My life as an Orphnoch is vicious as I expected

by Transmorphosis

After having nearly lost his life due to a car accident, Hikigaya Hachiman attempts to readjust to the society, despite being oblivious to the fact that his choice to live as an ordinary human is no longer an option. But when a series of impossible murders began to rise, Hachiman must embrace his newfound Orphnoch powers as he become the newest protector of Chiba: Shadow Wolf.

Disclaimer: My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU and Kamen Rider Agito/Faiz are copyrighted works owned by their respective authors.

Chapter 1 – Birth of the Predator

It almost felt like a delusive dream surrounded by mists of hostile memories, but when Hikigaya Hachiman regains his consciousness in an abrupt demeanour, it has become evident that the boundary between life and death is nothing more than a fantasy transcended beyond the finite knowledge of mankind. The vivid recollection of the car accident that supposedly took his life continuously rewinds in his head like an endless torment as his weakened body lies emotionlessly on the hospital bed, his eyes devoid of vividness. Tormented by the trauma, the lost soul tried to rely on the mutable guidance of his shattered memories which merely prove to be a futile attempt, but perhaps it is clemency from god that his miserable life is spared.

At least that was the truth he chooses to believe in.

Like the awakening of a hibernating animal, Hachiman slowly lifted his weakened body upright on the bed, his mind continues to sustain a state of imperfect consciousness as he begins to observe his surroundings. Apart from the monotonous mood he received however, the overall atmosphere of his room appears to be strangely refreshing, despite being situated in an unfamiliar environment. But after a prolonged period of lingering, the teenager suddenly realised that the injuries from the aftermath of the incident isn't what he expected.

There were clearly no visible signs of wounds or perceptions of pain throughout his entire body, let alone bone fractures. The severity of the impact should have been fatal for Hachiman, and yet his life force is well preserved in this unfaltering reality in spite of the accident. It appeared to be an absurd assertion, but unbeknownst to him, the underlying truth that Hachiman seeks unexpectedly contains a horrifying fact beyond the realm of human imagination: his cells have been mutated.

There weren't any observable changes on his body which would have confirmed the theory, but in reality there is nothing fallacious about the unexplainable change that is affecting Hachiman's body. The nature of the mutation was scientifically inconceivable, and yet the teenager is able to experience an undeniable sense of change spontaneously stirring in his blood vessels. While the anomaly has failed to arouse the attention of his pain receptors, his state of 'resurrection' is clearly, more than enough to convince Hachiman that the reality he perceives appears to be somewhat illogical.

"What is this feeling? Why do I feel so… strong?" Hachiman wasn't really sure if the last word in his thought has correctly described his current sentiment as he slowly raise his arms upward, his fists tightened with deep contemplation. Even after having endured death, Hachiman still couldn't bring himself to believe the fact that he just survived a fatal ordeal. Nonetheless, he eventually chose to ignore his speculations as he lets his motionless body collapses back onto the bed like a lifeless ragdoll, his mind temporarily shunned from the world.

But before Hachiman was able to return to his eternal slumber, the quietness is suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door being opened, followed by the unprompted sight of an unfamiliar man standing next to the doorway. He automatically glanced at Hachiman with a benevolent smile as he enters the room in his white lab coat. The man possessed a middle-aged appearance, his mature face devoured by the strain of experienced hard work as seen through the tiny wrinkles on the forehead. His hair was blended with a bright golden colour which serves as the perfect accompaniment to the olive-green coloured eyes glistering from his face.

"Oh sorry, I didn't know you are awake already. I hope I didn't disturb your slumber," The man exclaimed with surprise upon discovering the physical state of Hachiman, "Anyway, I'm doctor Miura and I'll be tending you for today. How are you feeling now?"

In the light of the unfamiliar encounter, Hachiman simply stared at his doctor with a bland gaze, his mind hesitant on forming the correct response. He eventually decided to answer with a slight nod of his head which immediately conveys an adequate response as noted by the satisfactory look on the doctor's face.

"Good. Now then, just try to relax, everything is going to be alright," Doctor Miura reassured Hachiman with words of serenity before he deepens his voice with seriousness, "I'm going to tell you something really important. I know it might sounds traumatising but try not to panic. Now, I'm not sure if you are able to recall, but you were involved in a car accident yesterday. The injuries inflicted upon your body were quite severe; they aren't just cuts and abrasions."

Hachiman was evidently shocked by the horrific revelation, but he nonetheless retains his composure as Doctor Miura resumes the recount.

"Upon examination, I discovered a shattered rib cage in your chest, and some of the fractured bones has already pierced through your heart and lungs, causing internal bleeding and immediate heart failure. Most of the shrapnels were removed, but..." Doctor Miura hastily halted upon discovering the disturbed expression on Hachiman's face, "Well, let's not delve further into the details, shall we? It's not something you want to keep inside your head anyway."

Hachiman simply remained silent throughout the entire recount.

"But other than what I've mentioned, you probably have already noticed that your body has completely healed. I know, you must be eager to know why. To tell you the truth, none of us did any of this. What really happened was that after we… declared you dead, your body was somehow able to heal all the damages on your body spontaneously, and then before I realised, you… came back alive." Doctor Miura took a quick glance at Hachiman's doubtful face before he speaks again, "It's okay if you don't believe me, even I find it hard to put my faith in this miracle. But still, regeneration is something you only see in superhero movies, and yet this happened to you in real life. I… I don't really know what else to say, other than the fact that this is beyond what humans are capable of..." Doctor Miura concluded the recount with a befuddled look, his hand placed underneath his chin as he engages in a deep thought.

"Well, he's definitely not lying," Hachiman stared at his doctor, "It is true that I'm alive. But something's not quite right. Why does it feel like my recovery isn't praiseworthy?"

"I guess that's enough talking for both of us," Doctor Miura took a quick glimpse at his wristwatch, "Your parents should be here at any minute, and I've got to go and keep tabs on my daughter too. Teenagers, you know how pompous they can be sometimes, hehe." Doctor Miura chuckled sarcastically before leaving the room.

The atmosphere then once again descended to its contemplative ambience as Hachiman refocuses his attention on the blank ceiling, his eyes observantly gazes into the empty space like a meditative philosopher.

"Maybe I was wrong," Hachiman thought, "Maybe I was just being pessimistic about all this."

()

Apart from the fatal car accident which hospitalised Hachiman, it is safe to assume that the presence of tranquility in modern society is well preserved. But like the birth of a new child, a new incarnation of evilness will always prosper, in spite of mankind's best countermeasure strategies. To make matters worse, atrocity of the Gurongi Tribe has become more than just a foreshadow. Terrifying events were starting to unfold before the people of Japan, and it all begins when a fresh corpse is found underneath the untouched dirt mass at a construction site.

It certainly wasn't a pleasant sight for the workers onsite, but they aren't exactly concerned by the fact that a crime has been committed within their vicinity; it is more or less, the horrified facial expression on the corpse that intimidates most of the witnesses. Being a prominent member of SAUL (Squad of Anti-Unidentified Lifeforms), officer Hikawa Makoto took the initiative to attend the crime scene, accompanied by fellow colleague Hojo Toru from the investigations unit.

"Hikawa-san, what a surprise to see you here," Toru approached Makoto with a sly smile where the latter is found to be examining the corpse, "Your duty of work at SAUL must be quite relaxing, considering how you've managed to spare yourself some time for attending crime scenes today."

"Well, it's true that there haven't been any reports of attacks related to unidentified lifeforms yet," Makoto replied bluntly, "But the factors surrounding the death of this victim is perplexing."

"Are you suggesting that the victim's death is actually caused by an unidentified lifeform?" Toru questioned.

"Yes, I believe it is, even though I know my interpretation might be far-stretched." Makoto replied.

"It seems that you merely based your judgement on exaggerations," Toru retorted, his footsteps casually pacing around, "While I do admit that this is an unusual incident, the real culprit might have used tricks instead."

"What kind of tricks?" Asked Makoto.

Toru then paused for a brief moment before continuing. "Since I haven't had a chance to examine the body, I wouldn't know anything for now. But Hikawa-san, I hope that your presumption on this case isn't influenced by your obsession with the unidentified lifeforms."

"You are overthinking things, Hojo-san. I'm perfectly aware of what I'm doing," Makoto protested, "But I think I have the need to remind you that SAUL exists to simply to protect people from threats imposed by supernatural creatures."

"It's all in the past, Hikawa-san," Toru remarked coldly, "The people of Japan have moved on from that bloodshed, they don't need to constantly remind themselves that supernatural creatures are killing humans. Don't you think you are being a little overcautious yourself?"

"Absolute not," Makoto replied sternly, "I believe the public has the rights to know the nature of any imminent threats. I know there are insufficient evidences to support my hypothesis, but we simply cannot overlook the possibility that the unidentified lifeforms may re-emerge."

"Well, if you insist on justifying your anecdotal opinion, that's fine by me." Toru retorted as he walks away from the crime scene.

Makoto tentatively remained in a contemplated silence accompanied by the reverberation of Toru's departing words. Admittedly, he was well aware of Toru's malicious attempts at antagonising his judgements, but the truthfulness of his obsession with the unidentified lifeforms is indeed undisputable. Feeling distraught and misguided, Makoto began to question whether his position at SAUL has actually influenced his coherent reasoning. There were simply too many unresolved factors to be considered, and Makoto doesn't even know the true extent of his confidence in solving the case. Nonetheless, he refused to let words of criticisms affect his emotions.

But just before the corpse was extracted by the paramedics, a distinguishably vibrating sound can be heard emitting from the corpse. Alerted by the presence of the unidentified noise, Makoto promptly halted the extraction process as he hastily explores the attire of the corpse. He eventually pinpointed the noise which originates from an aged vibrating Nokia 3310 concealed in the inner pocket of the jacket worn by the corpse. Surprisingly, the device itself maintained strong usability despite being submerged under the intense pressure of the rock-solid dirt. Makoto then stared at the vibrating phone with a contemplated frown before he makes the brisk decision to accept the phone call, with hopes of acquiring further information relating to the identity of the corpse.

"Dad, have you finished your work?" The innocently cute voice of a young girl can be heard from the phone, her tone embedded with happiness and curiosity, "I just want to remind you about my birthday today. Don't forget that I want the strawberry flavoured cake!"

"Dad?" Makoto muttered quietly, astounded by the identity of the answerer. Having realised the integrity of the situation, he automatically readjusted the tonality of his voice to enable a soothing effect, making sure that the child isn't intimidated by his deep voice, "I'm sorry kid, but I'm not your dad. I'm officer Hikawa from the Tokyo police department."

"You are a… police officer?" The young girl shuddered, evidently frightened by the absence of her father, "Why do you have his phone? Did something happen to him?"

At this moment, Makoto knew the exact consequence if he has taken the blunt approach of revealing the ugly truth to the child. The brutal murder of a family member was undoubtedly a daunting news for any person, but Makoto eventually chooses to apprise a reluctant lie, hoping that the mentality of the child won't be emotionally scarred.

"It's alright kid, your dad is… helping us with an investigation. You can rest assured that he's safe with us." Makoto replied with a strong sense of guilt, "By the way, how should I call you, kid?"

"It's Rumi." The young girl replied concisely, but the tension in her voice fails to diminish, "Police officer-san, when will you let my dad leave?"

"Um, maybe one or two hours, it's a rather big case after all," Makoto proclaimed with a reluctant smile, "But Rumi-chan, is it alright if you just pass your phone to your mum? There's something important I need to talk to her about."

"She's at work, I'm the only person at home."

"Do you know where she works at?"

"Sobu High School," Rumi stated monotonously, "She's the home economics teacher."

"I see… Well, thanks Rumi-chan, that was really helpful. I… just need to finish some of my errands and your father is good to go." Makoto reassured Rumi.

"Well then, I'll be waiting, police officer-san." Rumi replied with a vaguely visible smile on her face before she ends the call.

For a brief moment after the consequent ending of the uneased conversation between Makoto and Rumi, the surrounding world seemingly became devoid of audible noises, with the only perceivable sound being the continuous high-pitched disconnected tone emitting from the phone. The silence managed to alleviate the tension from Makoto, but never in his entire life has he ever experience such distraught and guilt. The sympathy he retained towards Rumi has already consumed much of his intellect like a parasitic infestation, but amongst his disordered world of mentality, Makoto has come to the realisation that he just told a blatant lie to an innocent child.

"Sobu High School…" Makoto quietly recalled the words left by Rumi as he walks towards his car.

()

As what Hachiman had expected, his recovery from the car accident has failed to spark even the slightest interest in the minds of his egocentric classroom society after a one-week absence. Realistically speaking, 7 days were more than enough for Hachiman to regain the full extent of his strength, but the severe conditions he sustained before his 'resurrection' has effectively convinced his parents to grant him the privilege of staying at home for the entire week, or 'lazing off', the preferable term in Hachiman's opinion. The entitlement of being able to act freely without rules or boundaries was the literal definition of paradise for any spoiled child; but instead of adhering to his routine schedule of video games, Hachiman seemingly become distressed as though as he has developed a different personality.

While it was undeniable that the obnoxious memories from the car accident is truly unforgettable, the notion of his supposed 'resurrection' has become attached to Hachiman's interest. He was well aware of the irreversibility of death as well as the dubious fact that he endured it, but if the former holds true for all living species on Earth, then is he dead or alive at this instantaneous moment? Hachiman hated to admit it, but his current state of existence appears to be illogical. It wasn't until recently that Hachiman discovers a probable answer.

He has superpowers.

It wasn't supersonic flight like Superman, or the discharge of laser beams like Cyclops from X-Men, but Hachiman's superpower is merely heightened senses, an ability that appears to be insignificant compared to the other powers possessed by mainstream superheroes on the television. In his honest opinion, Hachiman was sincerely stunned and shocked, but in a way that an adventurer would describe as a 'spectacular discovery'.

It all began on an uneased Thursday night during Hachiman's slumber when his power is awakened. He was subconsciously trapped in his own dreams, detached from his sense of reality, yet somehow, he is able to perceive a physical stimulation in his ocular vision. For a brief moment, his eyes were occupied by a tinted surrounding of blue hues accompanied by stereophonically distant sound of his own heartbeat. The phenomenal sensation almost felt like stepping into a whole new world of silence where only the sound of his own thought can be heard. It was at that moment Hachiman is convinced that his body does indeed contain a power unexplainable by science.

But then again, superheroes were often depicted as seemingly flawed individuals struggling to balance their double life, and Hachiman know that he and his undetermined alter ego are no exceptions. Should comic book characters spiritually act as guardians of aspiration for him? Hachiman admittedly felt immature for putting his faith in fictional characters. But after having witnessed the disgruntled look on his teacher Hiratsuka Shizuka sensei on his first day back to school, Hachiman immediately realises that the mental connection between him and his alter ego has just been stretched beyond reach.

"You certainly are the most pessimistic person I have ever seen in my entire life, Hikigaya," Shizuka skimmed through Hachiman's essay with a dissatisfied look, "How in the world did you come up with all these barbaric idealisms?"

"They are practically a part of my philosophical beliefs, plus I've been living by these rules for quite a long time." Hachiman replied bluntly whilst attempting to avoid eye contact with Shizuka.

"Really? If these… idealisms in your essay are what you are thinking right now, then I'm sorry to say but you are an abnormal kid." Shizuka retorted as she places Hachiman's essay on her desk.

'But she's right thought, I am an abnormal kid,' Hachiman grinned in his thought, 'After all, I have superpowers.'

"Good grief," Shizuka continued, "What possessed you to write this essay? It almost sounds like you've never experienced true happiness."

"That's not entirely true, Hiratsuka-sensei," Hachiman responded, "I do exhibit a certain extent of happiness in my life, it's just not the same as how most high school students would describe it. But if you want a more explicit answer, read the first sentence of my essay."

"Don't give me this bullshit you brat," Shizuka casually twirled her hair before continuing, "I've never seen anyone that thinks youth is evil."

"Brat? Funny, for a woman of your age, one might say that I-"

Hachiman almost regretted making that harsh remark as the anger in Shizuka accelerates, prompting her to launch her fist towards Hachiman's face. But just before the fist of fury made contact with his body, the defence mechanism in Hachiman's heightened senses involuntarily becomes triggered by the upcoming threat, delivering streams of adrenaline into his blood vessel which then causes Hachiman to execute an action that even he himself couldn't foresee.

He blocked Shizuka's fist attack with his own bare hand.

Hachiman felt agitated by the tension of the present moment. He could feel an intense surge of energy circulating around his body as though as it's commanding him to retaliate against Shizuka. Hachiman never anticipated his power to act against his own will, let alone brainwashing him into attacking his own teacher. Fortunately for Shizuka, Hachiman's non-violent mindset allows him to regain his perceptive senses as he slowly releases his grip on Shizuka's hardened fist.

"You don't want to start a fight here, Hikigaya." Shizuka glared at Hachiman with a death stare.

"No, I eh… um…" Hachiman stuttered, he shockingly retreats a few steps back at the horror of his own actions before forcing himself to apologize, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

There was then an awkwardly silent moment lingering in the atmosphere between the student and the teacher before both parties regain their composure.

"Geez, what were you thinking, Hikigaya? Shizuka asked with slight shock, "I almost thought you are going to go full berserk on me."

"It must have been my reflexes." Hachiman spoke quietly.

"Teenagers…" Shizuka murmured under her breath.

"So about my assignment," Hachiman began, "Do you want me to redo-"

"Actually, Hikigaya," Shizuka interjected, "I have a better idea. Why don't you follow me?"

"To where?"

"You'll see."

And so Hachiman aimlessly followed Shizuka to an unknown destination, passing by an empty hallway which conjoins the two main school building until they've reach the designated location: a particular classroom that he has probably never entered or even heard about it. As Shizuka led him into the room, Hachiman immediately notices that the interior has been vacated with all the tables and chairs stacked neatly at the back. But the emptiness of the classroom wasn't the only prominent sight. A girl was seen reading a book whilst seated next to the half-opened window; surrounded by streams of sakura petals, her silky black hair softly flows in the direction of the wind which effectively emphasises her radiant beauty that seemingly shines like an undiminished supernova in the centre of the room. Hachiman instantly knew the identity of the girl.

Yukinoshita Yukino.

"Hiratsuka-sensei," Yukino turned her attention to Shizuka and Hachiman, her book placed face-down on her laps, "I believe that I have asked you to knock before you enter the room."

"You never respond when I knock though." Shizuka replied insouciantly, moving herself into the room with Hachiman following her from behind.

"That's because you never wait for my response before you come in," It took a few seconds of silence for Yukino to notice the presence of Hachiman, "So who is this creep that you've brought along?"

'It's definitely no coincidence that the most beautiful and talented student just happens to be sitting in this room. I don't know what Hiratsuka-sensei is thinking by bringing me here, but this girl is undoubtedly bad news to me.' Hachiman frowned with an irritated look in his thought.

"This is Hikigaya Hachiman from class 2-F," Shizuka replied, "To make things short, I have taken the approach to mend his pessimistic attitude by allowing him to join this club. As your club advisor, I would like you to help him turn into a more remarkable person in any ways you can."

"This is quite a bold move, Hiratsuka-sensei," Said Yukino, "Are you really just going to let this guy join the club and have him lust at my innocent body? You know what some men are capable of, and I'm not willing to take any risks with him."

"This is discrimination," Hachiman retaliated, "Not all males think like perverts, you are just being oversensitive here."

"I beg to differ. Your dead fish eyes are more than enough to give your perverted side away." Yukino glared at Hachiman.

"Now now, let's not try and start a dispute here, shall we?" Shizuka waved both of her hands in an attempt to sooth the tension between her students, "Yukinoshita, I assure you that Hikigaya won't commit any indecency acts against you. He might hold resentments against the society, but he does retain a sense of morality so you wouldn't have to worry about him breaking the academic rules or the law."

"Well, this does put my heart at ease," Yukino sighed, "But I still have my doubts about his mentality."

Before Shizuka had the chance to rectify, Hachiman moves himself directly in front of Yukino and Shizuka, his prominent position effectively captivates their attention.

"Hiratsuka-sensei," Hachiman began, "From what I have seen so far, you claimed that you intend to reform my solitary idealism by forcing me to join this club. But all I have received are nothing but criticisms from that girl. In case you haven't noticed, she called me a 'creep' and a 'pervert' when I entered the room."

"I know, Yukinoshita is someone with her own unique attitude," Shizuka quickly remedied the situation, "But I can assure you, she isn't a bad girl at heart. I'm sure you two will get along if you just put your differences aside."

"I'm afraid that's going to take some time, judging by his rebellious behaviour." Yukino remarked.

"So you do agree that you will help him? That's great!" Shizuka smiled pleasingly.

"Now hold on a second," Hachiman interrupted with his left arm raised reluctantly, "I think I should clarify the fact that you didn't ask for my opinions about this club. I never said that I want to join."

"But aren't you glad that you get to spend time with a beautiful girl like Yukinoshita?" Shizuka grinned sneakily at Hachiman, "This is a one in a million chance, Hikigaya."

"Well, I do admit that she is pretty," Hachiman awkwardly scratched his head, "But if the only thing she does is giving criticisms to other people, then what kind of benefits am I getting here?"

"It's called rehabilitation." Shizuka replied.

"Who do you think I am? Some kind of convict?" Hachiman retorted.

"No, but if you do attempt to violate my body, then you will become one." Said Yukino.

"You really do have a real knack at blurting nonsense, don't you?" Hachiman crossed his arms with an angered smile, "How did you even get past the entrance exams?"

"That's enough arguments for you two," Shizuka slightly raised her voice with a serious look, "Honestly, just try and get along with each other, would you?"

"Well, I can't really deny a request from the teacher," Yukino sighed, "I'll try my best to help him."

"Excellent, I will be counting on you, Yukinoshita," Shizuka turned her back towards the duo as she walks to the door but not before she gives Hachiman another death stare, "And Hikigaya, be nice to Yukinoshita, or my next fist will connect with your face." She ended the conversation with a clench of her fist before she disappears.

()

"So this is it, Sobu High School." Makoto was seemingly fascinated by the clean white façade of the school building after arriving at the main entrance gate in his car. As he advanced towards the reception area, he casually glances at the athletics fields within the school grounds where students can be seen participating in varies sports activities; the scenario immediately evokes a nostalgic feeling for Makoto as he recalls his vaguely expressed yet colourful youthful life. There weren't much he could remember from the recollection of his childhood, but at least he is glad that he has made close acquaintanceships with Ozawa Sumiko and Omuro Takahiro the assistant engineer of SAUL, in which their friendliness often fills the empty void in Makoto's desolation.

After having acquired the whereabouts of the staffroom, Makoto swiftly navigated through several flights of stairs and seemingly endless corridors until he reaches the destination. Without further delay, he promptly moved his hand towards the door handle. Just then, a female voice abruptly attracted his attention.

"Excuse me," Shizuka caught a glance of the police officer with slight enthusiasm, "Are you looking for the school's staff members?"

"Yes, I'm looking for the home economics teacher, do you know if she's at work today?" Asked Makoto.

"Oh, you mean Tsurumi-sensei? She had to leave work early today," Shizuka replied, "Are you her friend?"

"Not really, I'm officer Hikawa from the Tokyo police department," Makoto promptly revealed his badge to Shizuka, "I'm currently investigating a murder case and I have urgent matters to discuss with her."

"Someone was murdered?" Shizuka gasped at the horrific news with shuddering, "Police officer-san, you can't possibly be telling me that Tsurumi-sensei is a murder suspect?"

"No, I don't believe she is," Makoto replied before he decides to disclose the ugly truth, "It was her husband who is murdered. We found his body at a construction site in the Tokyo area."

"No way…" Shizuka covered her mouth with shock, her back softly slammed against the school lockers with her eyes gasped widely in horror.

"Look, sensei," Makoto attempted to pacify the frightened Shizuka, "I'm sorry if I scared you in some way, but I need you to calm down."

"It's ok…" Shizuka managed to regain her calmness with a short heavy breath, "I just can't believe things like this would happen to my close friends."

"I know how that feels," Makoto replied, "But do you happen to know her home address? I just had a conversation with her daughter on the phone an hour ago and it doesn't look there's anyone attending her."

"Yes, I'll give you the address now," Shizuka frantically grabbed a pen and a piece of paper from the staffroom where she proceeds to write the home address of Tsurumi-sensei, "Her apartment isn't too far from the school, but if she isn't back home yet, you might want to check around the area of Chiba Central Park, that's where she normally hangs out when she's having days off. Oh, and just out of curiosity, do you know how her husband died?"

"He was buried alive," Makoto replied straightforwardly, "it was the most probable explanation, at least that's what I can tell from the preliminary analysis on the body."

"This is even more disturbing than I have imagined," Shizuka remarked anxiously, "I'm no detective material, but do you think the Yakuza have something to do with this?"

"They would have hide the body in a more discreet way than simply dumping it at a construction site," Makoto said thoughtfully, "But more importantly, I have reasons to believe that the culprit isn't a human."

"Really? Then is it an animal? But that would be quite unlikely, isn't it?" Shizuka was evidently confused.

"No, I'm not talking about humans or any deranged animals," Makoto exhaled a small breath before continuing, "What I'm trying to say is that the victim was probably killed through a supernatural method."

"Supernatural?" Shizuka raised an eyebrow with disbelief, surprised by the peculiar word spoken by the police officer, "I'm… not quite sure what to say about that, but I think there has to be a certain truthfulness in your theory. I mean, a police officer like you wouldn't have the need to lie in this situation."

"It's okay if you don't believe me," Makoto spoke adamantly, "I wasn't trying to be metaphorical or exaggerative, I simply stated what I perceives as the literal truth."

"But still, it's rare to see a police officer like you would actually base his logical reasoning on paranormal activities," Said Shizuka, "I must say that this is a daringly new approach at solving murder cases."

()

(Meanwhile)

After having ascertained that his teacher has indeed exited his vicinity, Hachiman turned his face towards Yukino with an unwelcoming stare as he places himself on a chair. The atmospheric mood of the classroom instantly became deprived of vividness, succumbing itself to the dead silence. With the tension between Hachiman and Yukino gradually increasing, hope has seemingly become nothing but a fanatical dream. But just before the last residue of hope diminished, Yukino abruptly reinstates the vigorous ambience of the room with her voice.

"Well, aren't you going to say something?" Asked Yukino, breaking the silence.

"Okay, um…" Hachiman stuttered, "So from what I have heard from Hiratsuka-sensei, you seem to be the only member of this… club. Do you really just sit in this classroom alone and wait for things to happen?"

"To put it bluntly, yes," Yukino replied, "But I only do it because Hiratsuka-sensei asks me to."

"What kind of club is this anyway?" Hachiman slouched his head on his hands, "It's really strange that Hiratsuka-sensei would ask you to stay here without doing anything."

"That's not entirely true, we are actually obliged to fulfil a purpose here," Yukino stood up from her chair, moving a few steps towards Hachiman, "Hikigaya-kun, there are those who, out of the goodness of their hearts, provide for those who are in need. These people are called volunteers, and they are exactly what we are going to be, starting from today."

"Like superheroes?" Hachiman interrupted.

Yukino was slightly stunned by the peculiar response from Hachiman. "Well, to a certain extent, we are somewhat similar to them. But we don't dress up in fancy costumes and beat up bad guys on the street, that's all."

"That was disappointing. I was actually hoping we could do something like that together." Hachiman jokily replied.

"I'm not interested in partaking any vigilantism activities with you." Yukino retorted as though as she sees Hachiman as an immature child, "And I should remind you that no one is above the law."

"I know that," Hachiman responded annoyingly, "But Yukinoshita-kun, I'm just wondering, have you ever had a feeling that you are stuck in a fate where you are gifted with something great but at the cost of turning into something bad?"

Yukino stared at Hachiman with a puzzled look. "Where did you get this kind of idea? That sounds like what an egocentric philosopher would say."

"An egocentric philosopher?" Hachiman chuckled sarcastically, "You sure do have a wild imagination, Yukinoshita-kun."

"Points taken." Yukino replied with a small smile before continuing, "You are actually doing pretty well at talking with me, Hikigaya-kun. Looks like there is hope for you after all."

"Alright, I think it's time for me to clarify a few things about me," Hachiman began in a serious tone, "I do admit that I'm an introvert, but that doesn't mean I need rehabilitations or any psychological therapies. I'm pretty content with the life I have right now, so why bother changing it?"

"You are just running away from your problems."

"But isn't changing yourself the same as running away? I think it's important for an individual to retain their personalities because that's what makes the human race unique." Hachiman crossed his arms with a sly smile.

"I'm surprised that you are able to come up with such a flawed philosophy. I applaud your twisted and warped logic, Hikigaya-kun." Yukino replied, "But you do realise that the actual problem lies within the fundamental nature of your personality, not on the uniqueness of humanity itself, right?"

Just before Hachiman could formulate the best counterattack against the conflicting opinions of Yukino, the conversation is abruptly halted when Shizuka returns to the classroom. Surprisingly, as opposed to the usual optimistic and joyous attitude she retained, the present Shizuka appears to be melancholic, her pensive eyes steered away from the sight of her students as she slumps her own emotionally weakened body on a chair. She then buried her face in frustration, too distraught to make any more sounds.

"Um, Hiratsuka-sensei, are you alright?" Yukino approached her teacher with an empathetic gaze, "You don't look too well."

"I know this is going to be hard to take in," Shizuka began with a weak voice, her face refuses to glance at the worried look on Yukino and Hachiman, "But a police officer just came to the school and told me that Tsurumi-sensei's husband has been murdered."

Yukino was clearly appalled by the petrifying news, she quietly collapses back on her chair, her arms wrapped around her chest in a defensive state, "This is terrible, I never expect to see a dreadful crime happening near us."

Hachiman on the other hand, shared the same mutually empathetic feeling as Yukino. However, the detached loner himself wasn't emotionally affected by the unpleasant death of a human being. Consequently, it would appear that Hachiman has a lack of compassions for murder victims; but in reality, he simply doesn't want to act on his emotions.

Before Hachiman and Yukino could make further comments on the matter, the phone in Shizuka's black trouser pocket suddenly rings. She promptly retrieved her phone to check the identity of the caller, but much to her surprise, the caller is none other than Tsurumi-sensei herself. Shizuka was evidently staggered by the turn of events; but without further hesitation, she impulsively accepted the call and takes the initiative to speak.

"Natsuki-chan?" Shizuka shouted into her phone, "Are you alright? The police just came to our school and told me that your husband has been murdered! Are you at home right now?"

There was no response.

"Natsuki-chan? Can you hear me? Hello?" Shizuka gradually lowered her voice, trembled by the absence of Tsurumi-sensei.

She eventually perceived a faint background voice after a prolonged period of dead silence. But much to her horror, the voice bore a strong resemblance to a monstrous growl which lingers for a few seconds before the call ended.

"What… what the hell is going on?" Shizuka was shocked beyond words, her eyes fixedly gaze toward the direction of Hachiman and Yukino, hoping to obtain any type of responses or reactions from them. For a brief moment, no one was quite sure on how to respond except lingering in the duration of the tension until Yukino breaks the silence.

"Is Tsurumi-sensei alright?" Yukino asked worriedly.

"I don't know…" Shizuka replied distressingly with a face full of doubts, "There weren't any noises coming out from her side, but I think heard… some kind of growling sound?"

'Growling sound? Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this?' Hachiman thought.

"The growling sound that you heard could be just a dog," Said Yukino, "There's not much we know about Tsurumi-sensei's current situation, but the least we can do now is call the police and have them investigate the matter."

"Right, but in the meantime, I would like you both to remain inside the classroom if you can, and try not to venture outside the school grounds while I go contact the police," Shizuka spoke in a serious and watchful voice as she steps outside the classroom, but not before she returns her gaze at the duo, particularly at Hachiman, "Oh, and please take care of each other, would you? This can be a great chance for you to learn about each other more."

'More like getting criticized by this ungodly bitch.' Hachiman cursed in his thought.

"I'll do my best, Hiratsuka-sensei." Yukino replied briefly with a monotonous voice as Shizuka departs.

Once again, the atmospheric mood of the classroom succumbed itself to the dead silence, conjoined by the notion of trauma and misery which further weakens the chance for the two students to interact courteously. Without extrinsic influences, Hachiman simply wouldn't take the initiative to start a conversation, the latter applies to Yukino as well. With his voice continuously refrained from speaking, Hachiman moved several steps closer to Yukino in an unguided direction, his lifeless eyes aimlessly glance at the female student. Startled by the unprovoked response from Hachiman, Yukino defensively leaned her body away from him.

"Don't even think about it," Yukino glared at Hachiman, her voice as cold as ice, "Hiratsuka-sensei may have left us to our own discretion, but that doesn't mean you can possess any perverted thoughts about me."

"Funny, I just want to admire the landscape," Hachiman replied with a sarcastic smile, "What did you think I was going to do to you?"

Yukino blinked at Hachiman in a short duration of silence before forming a response. "Never mind." She then resumed her reading.

"Yukinoshita," Hachiman hesitantly spoke, his eyes seemingly fixated to the urban scenery outside his school, "The growling sound that Hiratsuka-sensei heard from the phone, what do you think that really is?"

"It's probably just a dog," Yukino repeated with evident disinterest, her attention fails to be distracted from her book, "But even if I do know what it is, it's not like I can do anything about it."

'Heh, of course you would say that, because you don't have any superpowers like me!' Hachiman grinned in his thought.

"Try not to take yourself too serious," Yukino continued, "I'm sure the police are doing their best at finding Tsurumi-sensei."

Hachiman simply continued his gaze at the exterior landscape without speaking a word or manifesting any reactions. After a prolonged period of contemplation, he slowly turns his face towards the door, his footsteps advancing towards the exit.

"I'm going to the toilet." Hachiman said briefly as he slides open the door.

"You will be back, right?" Yukino asked with slight discomfort, "Hiratsuka-sensei said we have to take care of each other."

Hachiman paused for a brief second before replying. "I guess so."

"I think you have failed to understand the gravity of the situation," Said Yukino with a glare, "A family member of our teacher has just been murdered and for all I know, he's still out there. Who knows if he suddenly shows up at our school? You are taking this way too lightly, Hikigaya-kun."

"I'm aware of that," Hachiman replied impassively, "But I must tell you, there are certainly a lot of things you don't know about me."

"What does your secrets have to do with the murder case?" Asked Yukino confusedly.

"Nothing," Hachiman said plainly, "But I just want you to understand that the reality in our perceptions isn't always the honest truth that we need."

"Are you implying that a part of our reality is actually a fabrication?" Asked Yukino thoughtfully.

"Maybe, but most of the time it's our own biased opinions that cause us to misunderstand the truth that lies underneath."

"I see what you are trying to say here," Yukino stared at Hachiman attentively, "To put it simply, you are saying that I somehow misjudged your perverted desires from earlier?"

"I don't even…" Hachiman halted before he reluctantly answers with a different response, "Yes, you were wrong about me being a pervert."

'My god! This bitch just doesn't know when to give up!' Hachiman fumed in his thought.

"Well then, would you like to elaborate on the real reason for your indecent thoughts from earlier?"

"Believe me when I say this, but a rational person would simply laugh at my answer."

"I promise that I won't mock or sneer at your answer," Yukino stood up from her chair, "Just say what you need to say, assuming that your answer is indeed rational."

"Okay, here I go…" Hachiman took a deep breath before he replies, making sure every word emitted from his mouth is concise, "The truth is, I'm not a human."

Upon hearing the peculiar answer from Hachiman, Yukino immediately forms a blank expression on her face, her countenance dawdled for a prolonged duration before she responds with a retorting remark. "Hiratsuka-sensei is right, you really do need help."

"Hey! You just said that you won't laugh at my answer!" Hachiman shouted.

"I'm sorry, but your answer is simply too ridiculous to be taken seriously," Yukino turned her back towards Hachiman, "I was expecting you to come up with a better excuse that that."

"So what kind of answers are you expecting from me?"

"I was actually expecting you to apologize, but now I have realised that not only do you possess perverted thoughts, you seem to have an underdeveloped brain of immaturity." Yukino slammed his hand on her forehead in distress, "This is going to be a lot harder than I anticipated."

"That's what Hiratsuka-sensei wants you to think." Hachiman concluded his response before he storms out of the classroom.

After the abandonment of Hachiman's companionship, Yukino suddenly felt an uneased feeling lingering around her surroundings. After having learned about the unthinkable murder, there simply aren't any needs for her to hide her emotions. She was admittedly scared, feared by the imminent presence of the murder culprit that may suddenly emerge at her school. She momentarily stared at the doorway where Hachiman is last seen before she steps outside the room.

"Hikigaya-kun?" Yukino looked around the empty space of the corridor for traces of Hachiman with a worried look. Unfortunately, the silence of the atmosphere failed to alleviate the tension in her, causing further distress for Yukino as she cautiously treads along the hallway towards the nearest male toilet with her eyes constantly scanning for any suspicious activities.

()

"I can't believe it's getting dark already…" Makoto stared at the fading daylight as he arrives at Tsurumi-sensei's apartment. After double-checking the correctness of the home address given to him by Shizuka, he promptly knocks on the door. Unfortunately, as what he had anticipated before, there are no responses. With his eyes widely opened with distraught realisation, Makoto quickly turns the doorknob and is surprised to see that the door isn't locked. The apartment had been deserted without any traces of living creatures, yet the tidiness of the interior is more than enough to convince Makoto that the presence of the missing family is nearby.

Makoto treaded lightly towards the living room with his pistol gripped firmly in his hand, making sure his movements wouldn't tamper his surroundings. But just before he approached near the entrance of the kitchen, Makoto is distracted by a panicking scream from outside the building. He then rushed towards the source of the distress at immense speed where he soon finds Rumi kneeling on the ground sobbing quietly near a water fountain, and much to Makoto's horror, a decapitated female body can be seen resting next to the little girl, the blood from the severed head has flown into the fountain, painting the water with a dark crimson colour.

'Oh god… Please don't tell me that's Tsurumi-sensei…' Makoto winced in his thought as he dashes towards the helpless girl, making sure his presence is noticeable by the latter before he crouches down at the same level as Rumi.

"It's okay Rumi-chan, you are safe now, I'm here to help you, I'm a police officer." Makoto pronounced each word with exact precision and conciseness without breaking a sweat, his hand softly touches Rumi on the shoulder. Like the blossom of a new hope, Rumi slowly lifted her teary face upwards, her eyes of dread gradually eased by the tenderly words of Makoto before she briskly lunges at his chest, wrapping her shivering arms around the police officer. In the light of Rumi's tormenting trauma, Makoto promptly removed his winter jacket and wraps it around the girl; he then lifts her up from the ground using his forearm as the support.

"Rumi-chan, is that… your mum over there?" Makoto asked slowly, his face trembling with shock.

Rumi simply gave a light nod.

"Do you know how this happened?"

"I don't know…" Rumi wailed in a quiet yet detectable voice, her frightened face staring deep into the eyes of Makoto, "When I found my mum there… lying there like that… I just…" She then sobbed even louder before she can finish her sentence.

"Listen, I'm going to contact the headquarters to let them know about your mum," Makoto spoke determinedly, "In the meantime, why don't we move ourselves into your house and I'll try to make you some food? You must be getting really hungry from all that crying."

"Okay… but I do wonder if my dad is alright…" Sobbed Rumi.

"Rumi-chan, about your dad… I'm sorry to say this but the truth is, he has been… murdered, just like your mum. It happened this morning." Makoto spoke slowly with caution.

The harsh reality of her father's death was more than enough to traumatise Rumi to an even greater extent as she buries her own face with her hands, the dreadful sound of her sobbing amplified with hopelessness and isolation.

"No… This can't be happening…" Rumi cowered her body in Makoto's arms, her voice muffled by her sobbing, "Why do you have to leave me too, dad?"

"Rumi-chan, I…" Makoto hesitantly stuttered, unsure on the type of response to make. But just before he was able to carry Rumi to safety, Makoto is startled by an odd rustling sound of bushes from behind. Sensing a possible imminent danger, the police officer carefully placed Rumi on the ground as he draws his pistol and aims it at the supposed source of disturbance.

"Who's there?" Makoto shouted into the silent darkness in which he receives no response in return.

"Police officer-san, I'm scared…" Rumi softly pulled Makoto's long sleeve shirt by the hand.

"I know, Rumi-chan," Makoto paused before he ceases the investigation of the supposed disturbance, lowering his guard, "Actually, that was probably nothing. Let's go."

But Makoto was gravely wrong about it. In reality, a monstrous humanoid figure has been lurking behind the guise of vegetation, his eyes of uncanniness emit a soft yellow radiance that can be easily perceived with the aid of the darkness. Like a predator stalking its prey, the monstrous creature observed the meticulous movements of the two humans with a particular attentive interest at Rumi, followed by a soft growl where he proceeds to place his right arm in front of his chest in a horizontal manner, stroking the former with the two fingers from his other hand as though as he is performing a customary ritual. A white halo then appeared above the head of the creature momentarily before disappearing, prompting the creature to commence his attack on the duo.

And so the creature complied with the command by lunging his body at the two defenceless humans with a small leap, revealing his monstrous appearance under the illumination of the street light. The creature that stood prominently before Makoto and Rumi wear a silver coloured armour which shares a strong resemblance to the outward shape of a sea turtle, accompanied by a turquoise scarf wrapped around his neck. This was the Testudo Oceanus.

"What… what is that thing!" Rumi shrieked at the deranged sea turtle creature with eyes of shock as the latter slowly advances towards the two humans, his demonic growl intimidates the frightened girl.

"You bastard! Was that all your doing?" Makoto furiously fired multiple gunshots at Testudo Oceanus, but only to find the bullets spontaneously explode before they can even make a scratch on the target. In response to Makoto's inferior attempt at impeding his predatory hunt, the sea turtle creature simply uttered a short growl of mockery and arrogance.

()

'A lot of crazy things sure happened today,' Hachiman stared his own reflection from the mirror in the school toilet in deep contemplation, 'The car accident from that day… it definitely did something to my body… I'm sure of it.'

Feeling confused, Hachiman tentatively opened the cold water tap on the hand basin for a brief period of time as he idly observes the water flowing down the tap hole like a possessed puppet. He then began to wash his face in an attempt to refresh himself. But the memories of his erratic mutation failed to diminish from his head as though as it has irremovably attached itself to his body. And even worse, the Orphnoch cells in his body has already begun the integration process with his DNA, unbeknownst to his knowledge.

But it wasn't just his Orphnoch powers that he has to worry about; terrifying events are unscrupulously beginning to unfold before him, like the emergence of monsters from the darkness. For any rational individuals, it would appear to be a sensical attempt to perceive the word 'monster' as a mere literature fantasy; but to proclaim 'monsters' as such entities is surprisingly, a fallacious attempt. The monstrous mutation in Hachiman's body was more than enough to prove to the world that supernatural creatures can always supersede any scientific justifications.

The unproclaimed terror began with a faint explosion noise booming from the distance, followed by the eruption of flaming blazes which effectively illuminates the surrounding buildings like a bonfire. But the enhanced auditory perception in Hachiman subconsciously revealed far more details than mere explosive flames: two indistinct human noises screaming for help. It was at that moment Hachiman realises the true purpose of his superpowers.

"This can't be good…" Hachiman stared at the burning flames through the toilet window with agitation, his fists gripped tightly. Without devising any second thought, Hachiman speedily dashed towards the source of the explosion.

Stay tune for my next chapter and don't forget to leave reviews!

Note: Testudo Oceanus is an unknown that appeared in episode 3 of Kamen Rider Agito.