Haruki POV
The day started out like any other: the alarm clock's relentless buzz, the struggle to fully open my eyes, and the usual grumble to get up and dressed. I shuffled through my morning routine, and after grabbing breakfast with Mom, I was out the door, headed to school with Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama. It was a crisp, clear day, the kind that hints at some kind of adventure—but I chalked that up to wishful thinking.
As we walked, Matsuda was practically bouncing with excitement, nudging Issei. "Dude,did yousee the fight between Guko and Heita last night? It was insane! The animators seriously gave it their all!" He was animated, his hands slicing through the air like he was re-enacting each punch himself.
Motohama chimed in, just as enthused. "Those impact frames! They added so much weight to every hit like you couldfeelit. And the voice actors—they were on a whole other level. Really poured their souls into it."
Issei sighed, dragging his feet and looking completely defeated. "I missed it! All because of that impossible English homework..."
At that, the three of them turned to me. Matsuda raised an eyebrow, eyes twinkling with challenge. "Haruki, don't tell me you missed it too? This wasthegreatest fight scene in the history ofDrag-So-Ball! A true cultural event, my friend!"
"Nah," I said, shrugging. "I was busy with a new project."
That perked up Motohama's curiosity. "Oho! And what mysterious project are you working on this time, Mr. Science Genius?"
"Nothing major," I said, waving it off like it was no big deal. "Just working on a machine that turns discarded bottle caps into gasoline."
Their eyes went wide, and they practically stopped in their tracks.
"Uh, what?" Issei blinked. "You're telling me you made a bottle cap into a gasoline converter? Just... as a side project?"
"Yeah," I replied, keeping my tone nonchalant. "It's not finished yet, though. Just tweaking a few things."
Matsuda looked like he was struggling to form words. "Haruki, you're telling us you didn't watch the epic showdown inDrag-So-Ballbecause you were too busy... inventing free gasoline?"
I chuckled. "Pretty much, yeah."
Motohama groaned, pressing his hands to his head. "Dude… I swear you're something else."
They just shook their heads, a mixture of awe and exasperation on their faces. But it was that easy camaraderie that kept me grounded. Even as my projects got more elaborate, my ambitions climbed higher and higher, these guys always kept me close, keeping the madness of my experiments balanced with their endless banter.
And yet, as we neared the school gates, I couldn't shake this strange feeling in my gut. Like today, something was different, some new turn waiting just beyond the routine. I had no idea what it was, but I could sense it—like a faint current humming under the surface. The day had begun like any other, but maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't end that way.
But even with all their disbelief and eye rolls, it was this easy banter that kept me balanced. As my projects got bigger and wilder, they always pulled me back to Earth. Yet, even as we laughed our way through the school gates, a strange feeling stirred in my gut. There was something... off. Like the universe had a surprise in store, just lurking around the corner, waiting to shake things up. Today had started like any other—but maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't end that way.
Just as we reached the entrance, a voice called from the side of the gate. "Haruki-kun, may I have a word with you?"
I turned to see a slim girl with violet eyes, short black hair styled into a neat bob, and a poised, intense expression that seemed oddly familiar. "Um… who are you again?"
A blond-haired guy behind her immediately reddened, looking ready to pop a blood vessel. "Show some respect, you jerk!"
"Saji, that's enough." She cut him off, her voice firm. "Haruki-kun, we've met several times. I'm… surprised you don't remember."
I squinted, racking my brain. "Issei, you know who she is?"
Issei sighed, slapping his forehead. "Bro, she's second place. You know, the one right below you?"
"Ohhh," I said, as it clicked. "Second place! Sorry, I don't remember faces if I don't care. So, what's up?"
Her face flushed red, eyebrows twitching like they were dancing the angry tango. "Forget it, you…bastard!" She turned on her heel, storming off.
I stared after her, bewildered. "What's her problem?"
Issei just shook his head. "Pretty sureyou'rethe problem, man."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" I shouted, chasing after them. They just laughed, dodging my questions as we headed to class. Little did I know, my life was about to be flipped upside down—and this morning routine might be one of the last normal ones I'd ever have.
School passed by in the usual blur. I drifted in and out of consciousness during most of my classes, a perk of having the highest grades in the academy. The teachers didn't mind; if anything, they seemed grateful that I wasn't causing any disruption—just catching up on sleep and taking up minimal space.
When lunch rolled around, I joined the Science Squad in our usual spot. The sun filtered in through the cafeteria windows, warming the scene just enough for me to feel cozy—and perhaps a little more smug than usual. I shuffled my Yu-Gi-Oh deck, which had been a source of endless frustration for my friends.
"You dirty, cheating bastard!" Motohama hissed as he glared at his losing hand. "Two turns… again!"
"What can I say?" I smirked, flicking a card off the top of my deck. "Git gud, scrub."
"Face it, Motohama," Matsuda sighed, clapping him on the back. "We'll never beat Haruki's deck. The guy's practically a math genius, and he's got every single move calculated."
Motohama slumped, looking defeated. "It's unfair. The dude's got a deck that should be banned. I might as well just fold every time."
"Oh, boo-hoo," Aika smirked from beside me, casually flipping through her own cards. "It's just like your love lives—absolutely hopeless."
"Right in the heart, Aika-chan," Issei gasped, clutching his chest as if he'd been fatally wounded. "Why you gotta be so cold?"
"It's not my fault I'm the only one around here who knows the truth." She gave a sly grin, her glasses catching the light mischievously. "This sausage fest of a group is my best chance to understand men. Plus," she added with a wicked glint, "it's good practice for honing my other skills."
The perverted trio—Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama—immediately turned red, hiding their laps as if Aika had read their most inappropriate thoughts.
"At least the odds are in our favor, considering how few guys there are at this school," Matsuda said, giving an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Besides, if Haruki ever showed the slightest interest in dating, girls would be lining up at the gates."
I chuckled but waved him off. "Nah, I'm not really interested in that stuff."
"Oh, come on, Haruki," Aika nudged me, clearly enjoying the banter. "Don't you feel anything for anyone? Even just a crush?"
I leaned back, giving it a moment's thought. "Honestly? Not really. I've got projects on my mind, goals to accomplish, and mysteries of the universe to solve. Romance feels… distracting."
The others groaned, and Issei dramatically wiped an imaginary tear. "You know, Haruki, sometimes I think you're an alien from another dimension, sent here to humble us with your grades, projects, and complete lack of interest in girls."
That comment caught me off guard, considering I basically am a dimensional alien.
Matsuda shook his head. "Yep, our prodigy here has his priorities straight, but hey, more options for the rest of us, right?" Thank god for me being a prodigy for saving my ass from explaining what I truly am.
As we continued lunch, the conversation drifted, ranging from classes to the latest shows and, of course, the never-ending gossip about our teachers. The cafeteria's noise faded into the background as I focused on my cards, still half-listening to my friends while mulling over a few ideas for new experiments. But despite the laughter and easy banter, a strange feeling lingered in my chest, one that I couldn't quite shake. It was a whisper of something just out of reach as if today was hiding a secret—a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.
When the bell rang, we reluctantly packed up and headed back to class, our laughter echoing down the hall.
The final school bell echoed through the halls, and I packed up with the rest of the crowd, bidding my friends farewell as we all headed home. The walk back felt like a race against the clock; the whole day, I'd been itching to get my hands on my latest project—my mini pyrolysis plant. Mom wouldn't be back until later due to sports practice, giving me the perfect window to work without interruptions.
I set up in my room, surrounded by a chaotic collection of parts, wires, and old equipment scavenged from various places. Grinning, I muttered, "Now, let's see if I can improve the vacuum chamber's efficiency. Burning materials in a true zero-oxygen environment isn't exactly easy, but…" I tinkered for about half an hour, adjusting the power distribution to the chamber, and recalibrating the heating elements. Finally, the setup was ready.
Cutting up some discarded bottle caps into tiny fragments, I loaded them into the reactor. With a small thrill of anticipation, I evacuated the air and activated the heating mechanism. The machine whirred to life, humming with restrained energy as I watched the chamber heat up. After nearly an hour, a glistening liquid began to collect at the chamber's base.
"Hehehehe…" A slightly sinister laugh escaped me as I took in the sight of my creation—a homemade pyrolysis plant that actually worked! I'd successfully converted bottle caps into fuel. It wasn't much, but it was progress.
"Haruki, I'm back!" Mom's voice cut through my victory celebration.
"Hey, Mom! I'm in my room, finishing up one of my projects," I called back, hastily covering up the equipment.
She appeared at my door a moment later, smiling in the way she did whenever she was both curious and slightly exasperated. "That's fine, sweetie, but would you mind running out and picking up some groceries?"
"Sure thing!" I said, happy to take a quick break. After all, my project could sit for a while. I grabbed my bag, changed into my outdoor clothes, and headed out with a spring in my step.
After picking up the groceries, I made a detour to one of my favorite places in town—Scrap City, the ultimate haven for hobbyists and tinkerers. As I stepped inside, the familiar scent of metal and oil filled my nostrils, and I instantly spotted Mr. Nejire behind the counter. He grinned as soon as he saw me.
"Well, if it isn't my best customer! Let me guess—you're here for more parts for your inventions?"
"Yup! Finished my last project today and already brainstorming the next one," I replied.
He gave me a long-suffering look. "Kid, don't you ever take a break? One of these days, you'll burn out."
I snorted. "If I took breaks, who'd keep you in business?"
Mr. Nejire laughed heartily, clapping me on the back. "Fair point! I don't know what I'd do without my young genius here, cleaning out my inventory. Speaking of which, I've got something you might be interested in—a commercial laser cutter that supposedly doesn't work. Got it for a bargain, and if anyone can get it up and running, it's you."
My eyes widened, and excitement surged through me. A laser cutter was exactly the kind of upgrade I'd been dreaming of. "I'll take it!" I said without hesitation.
"Slow down, champ," he chuckled. "This one's a beast. I'll arrange to have it delivered, alright? And, since you've kept me in business all this time, I'll knock off 10% for you."
"Deal!" I handed over the money, and he threw in a few spare parts I'd been eyeing as well. As I left the shop with a bag full of supplies, the realization hit me: I'd spent way more time than planned. The sun was dipping lower, casting the street in a warm, amber glow.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, breaking the stillness. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen—Mom's message, reminding me to hurry back with the groceries. A grin crept onto my face as I imagined her reaction to my new acquisition. The thought of that laser cutter had me practically bouncing all the way home.
In the fading light, with the thrill of my latest experiment and a new project waiting on the horizon, it felt like anything was possible. One problem with that, I never made it back home that night.
The walk home started out simple enough. I took my usual shortcut through the deserted warehouse district, a path surrounded by towering, abandoned buildings whose shattered windows stared down like hollow, watchful eyes. Shadows stretched long between them, dark and thick in the dimming evening light. Each step echoed in the silence, broken only by the rustle of my grocery bag and the faint clinking of my latest haul from Scrap City—a rhythmic reminder to get home quickly, where I could finally relax and put everything to use.
Just as I picked up my pace, a sound sliced through the quiet, stopping me dead in my tracks.
"Help… me… please."
The voice was faint, barely more than a whisper, like someone's last desperate breath. It seemed to come from somewhere ahead, near one of the larger warehouses. I froze, my heart beginning to pound as my instincts warred with reason. It would be smarter to keep walking, to ignore it, and chalk it up to my imagination… but the sound was so weak, so full of despair that it clawed at my conscience. Against my better judgment, I took a shaky breath and started toward the voice, taking slow, cautious steps toward the darkened building.
"Hello? Are you hurt? Where are you?" My voice sounded small in the silence, each word swallowed by the stale, heavy air.
"Over… here… hurry." The voice grew weaker, tinged with desperation. I glanced back at my bag of supplies and set it down near the entrance, slipping into the warehouse as the door creaked shut behind me. Inside, the air was thick with dust and the smell of old, rusted metal. Shadows closed in around me, narrowing my path as the voice led me deeper into the warehouse, drawing me toward a hulking, shadowy piece of machinery that loomed at the far end of the room. Every instinct screamed at me to turn back, but curiosity—and some strange, morbid pull—kept me moving forward.
I rounded the corner, bracing myself to find someone injured or helpless. But my breath caught in my throat, dread pooling in my stomach as I realized there was no one there.
Instead, towering before me, half-hidden in shadow, was something monstrous.
The creature looked like a twisted, stretched nightmare brought to life. Its elongated body hunched low, glistening in the faint shafts of light that filtered through the broken windows. Limbs, too many of them, extended from its sides, each one ending in jagged claws that scraped the floor as it moved. But it was the head that froze me in place: eyes like burning embers stared down at me, hollow and unfathomably hungry, while its mouth, lined with rows of jagged mandibles, dripped thick, viscous drool that splattered onto the concrete with an audible hiss.
"Oh… crap," I whispered, feeling nausea twist in my gut as the reality of my situation sank in. I'd walked right into its trap, and now I had only one option—run.
The creature let out a deep, guttural snarl, a sound that rattled through the warehouse and crawled under my skin. In an instant, it lunged forward, its grotesque limbs snapping in my direction with terrifying speed. I stumbled back, barely dodging a swipe that would have sliced me open. Its hot, putrid breath washed over my face, and my pulse roared in my ears as I scrambled to my feet, instincts finally screaming one thing:escape.
"Thank you… FOR BEING MY NEXT MEAL," the monster growled, its voice a twisted, mocking mimicry of speech. That alone was enough to jolt me into action. I turned and bolted, my legs carrying me as fast as they could, every nerve alight with the need to survive.
Its claws scraped the floor as it chased me, gaining on me with every step. I darted around stacks of rusted machinery, breath coming fast and shallow, hoping to throw it off. The monster's twisted limbs clattered behind me, its breathing heavy and labored as it closed the distance. I risked a glance back and saw those glowing eyes fixed on me, hunger blazing within them.
"GET BACK HERE!" it bellowed, lunging forward as I darted through the door and sprinted into the maze of buildings beyond. My body moved purely on instinct, my mind too paralyzed with fear to think of a plan. I ducked into another building, hoping to lose it, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest.
"You can run, but you can't hide, morsel!" the creature's mocking voice echoed around me. My throat tightened as the horror set in—I was cornered, and my options were shrinking.
'Oh God, I'm going to die,' I thought, the words looping frantically in my mind.
"Calm yourself, child, be not afraid" a calm, soothing voice suddenly echoed in my mind. The sheer clarity of it was surreal, and, against all odds, I felt a flicker of calm settle over me.
"I know things look bleak, but by the father's guidance, I will help you," the voice continued, smooth and reassuring. "Listen closely, and you'll have a chance. Get up, and sneak behind the box near the other entrance to this building," it instructed. I hesitated only a moment before deciding I had nothing to lose.
I crept over to the box, my heart hammering so loudly I was sure the creature would hear it. Just as I ducked behind it, the monster burst into the room, snarling as it searched for me.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," it taunted, stalking forward.
"Now, child, see that rock near your left foot? Throw it hard to the right and then sprint to the left," the voice urged. Desperation fueling my actions, I grabbed the rock and threw it with all my might. The clattering sound echoed, and the creature's head snapped toward it. It rushed toward the noise, and I bolted in the opposite direction, dashing toward the exit with a burst of hope.
But as I neared the door, my escape was cut short.
Spew.
Sizzle.
A thick, acidic substance hit the ground in front of me, eating through the concrete with a hiss and blocking my path. The monster's laughter filled the air, mocking my failed attempt at freedom.
"Clever, but not enough to escapeme," it sneered, advancing slowly.
'This is it,' I thought, memories flashing before me—family, friends, the life I'd barely started to live. My heart hammered as the monster closed in, its eyes gleaming with sadistic delight.
"Child," the voice spoke urgently, "Trust me one more time. Extend your right hand and call upon your inner light to banish this evil."
With no options left, I thrust my right hand forward, feeling a warmth radiate from my core. Suddenly, a red ring of light flared into existence, swirling with intricate symbols and shapes in a mesmerizing lattice. The circle expanded, glowing brighter and brighter until it pulsed with energy.
The monster screeched, recoiling, but it was too late.
Whoosh.
A massive ball of flame erupted from the circle, engulfing the creature in a blazing inferno. It writhed and screamed, its body twisting and charring as the fire consumed it. The stench of burning flesh filled the air as it finally collapsed, reduced to a smoldering husk.
"What… was that?" I whispered, barely able to hold myself up. I could feel the last dregs of my energy fading as the voice spoke again, gentle and proud.
"You are safe now, child. The magic drained you, but rest easy—you are protected,"it reassured me. My vision blurred as exhaustion claimed me. Just before I passed out, I heard a feminine voice nearby.
"Guess I have a bleeding heart after all… Don't worry, kid, I'll get you out of here."
? POV
"Damn it all. I just wanted a quiet night hunting stray devils," I muttered, eyeing the scene with a mix of surprise and amusement. "And this brat decides to play the hero."
I watched from above as the devil burst through the wall after the kid, who was doing his best to dodge death. If it came to it, I'd planned to step in before he got himself killed… but then, something strange happened.
A blinding red light erupted from his hand, and before my eyes, the stray devil was consumed in a massive blast of fire. When the dust settled, the kid's ragged whisper reached me.
"Magical… power…" he murmured, swaying as he struggled to stay upright.
"Well, looks like he just unlocked his magic," I said, landing lightly beside him. With a sigh, I knelt beside his bleeding form. "Guess he's got potential," I muttered, already imagining what a powerful ally he could become.
"Me and my bleeding heart… Don't worry, kid. I'm going to help you."