Tomoya still tried to steady his voice, despite the tension in the air. The gym's shadow seemed denser, as if it absorbed any hope of balance. He gestured with slight nervousness, attempting to rebuild his argument.
"You don't get it… this game is an opportunity. For her. For everyone."
Yuta remained motionless. Eyes fixed. Body in controlled stillness.
"If you really cared about Megumi, you'd encourage her. She could be something bigger. Something that'll outlast this school."
Tomoya's voice began to waver at the edges. His speech tried to sound rational, but desperation seeped through the cracks.
"It's art… it's expression… there's nothing wrong with it."
Yuta didn't respond. Didn't deny. Didn't question.
He simply activated.
Cursed energy coursed through his body like a second, invisible skin. The pressure around them shifted subtly, but lethally. The air seemed to shrink.
The skill took form silently.
[Active Skill: Bloodlust Aura – Level 1]
No gestures. No symbols. Just intent.
Tomoya stumbled back two steps, as if something had shoved his chest. His legs buckled slightly. His breathing turned erratic.
"W-what…?"
The first reaction was physical: the hairs on his arms stood on end, his stomach churned with dry spasms. His body went into full defense mode—but there was no visible enemy.
The hard ground came up fast. Tomoya fell to his knees, one hand on the concrete, the other clutching his chest.
His breathing spiraled out of control.
"Y-Yuta… s-stop… please…"
But Yuta didn't respond.
Didn't move.
Didn't need to.
The sensation was a presence. Something ancient, ravenous, staring into Tomoya from within. His instincts screamed absolute danger.
But Yuta's eyes remained calm.
"I… I don't… understand…"
Tomoya's voice turned into a hoarse whisper. His eyes trembled in their sockets, searching for an nonexistent escape. The muscles in his neck twitched involuntarily, struggling to keep his head upright.
Yuta watched in silence. He assessed the signs—fine tremors in the hands, uneven breathing, cold sweat.
'Real fear.'
'Pure fear.'
'Without a single touch.'
"H-help… dude, I'm… I'm not okay…"
Tomoya reached out a hand toward him, as if the very cause could be his salvation. It was the reflex of a cornered animal begging mercy from a predator.
Yuta simply walked toward him. Two steps.
The pressure spiked for less than a second. Tomoya let out a low, trembling scream, stifled, ashamed. Pride had no room left.
Yuta crouched in front of him, as if examining something.
The aura stopped.
Abruptly.
Tomoya collapsed forward, his arms failing to hold his weight. His body shook, but his mind still couldn't grasp what had happened.
Yuta tilted his head slightly.
"Hey… Tomoya."
His voice was almost kind, like a helpful classmate.
"Tell me something. What did you just feel?"
Tomoya didn't answer right away. His face was half-pressed against the concrete, his eyes blurred with tears he hadn't noticed. He breathed through his mouth, fast, unable to steady the flow.
"I… I thought I was gonna die."
His voice came out choked, as if squeezed from the inside out.
"There was nothing… no one… but I swear to God, something was going to kill me."
Yuta nodded slowly. His gaze attentive. Almost curious.
"Interesting. Very interesting."
He paused briefly, then added with a faint smile.
"Thanks for the feedback."
Tomoya tried to lift his torso, brace his arm, but failed again. Panic still outweighed his muscles.
"You… you did this?"
Yuta gave a serene, almost instructional smile.
"Tomoya… you think I'm capable of something like that?"
He made a mock-offended face, but the irony in his voice didn't falter.
"I'm just an ordinary student… worried about my classmates' well-being."
Tomoya stared at the ground, as if it were the only reliable reality.
Yuta placed a hand on his knee and stood calmly.
"We've talked. We've sorted it out. But… I think it needs reinforcement."
The aura surged again.
Not with the same explosion as before, but now modulated. Controlled. Like a knife cutting slowly to prolong the understanding of pain.
Tomoya's body arched, his shoulders locking as if an invisible beast had sunk claws into his back. The sound from his throat wasn't a scream. It was a wordless plea.
Desperation took physical form. His eyes darted, searching for an escape. His fingers clawed at the ground. And all around was shadow and silence.
Yuta stood there.
Just watching.
With the same calm as someone reading a manual.
With the same coldness as someone who'd seen worse.
With the same quiet hypocrisy of someone still in a school uniform while testing a power that could shatter minds.
"Relax."
His voice cut the air like a blade of ice.
"It's just art."
"Nothing wrong with it, right?"
Tomoya didn't respond. He couldn't. His mind was starting to shut down, trying to disconnect from his collapsing body.
Yuta turned off the aura again. With precision.
Tomoya's body slumped sideways, his muscles failing entirely. His face sweaty, eyes half-open. His breathing returned slowly, with wheezes and sobs.
Yuta stayed silent for three seconds.
Then he lifted his leg and, with cold precision, delivered a sharp kick to Tomoya's stomach.
The impact was blunt. Tomoya's body folded on the ground with a guttural groan, his face contorting as if his insides had imploded.
"You're not going to look at her anymore."
Another kick. Weaker—but painful enough to make Tomoya roll to the side.
"You're not going to call her. Talk to her. Or even try."
The third was to his shoulder, shoving his body against the concrete wall. His skin scraped, the sound muffled.
"I'm being nice. Just this once."
Tomoya coughed with difficulty. A trickle of saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth. His entire body shook uncontrollably, his eyes red from strain and shame.
"Sorry… sorry, please…"
His voice was loud, desperate. Screaming through tears.
"I won't do it again… I swear, man… I swear…"
Yuta stopped.
His gaze fixed. No immediate response.
Then he exhaled slowly through his nose.
He turned his back.
Started walking, his steps echoing on the dirty concrete.
When he was a few meters away, he spoke in a neutral tone, without anger or haste.
"If you tell anyone…"
He paused for a moment, just long enough to glance slightly to the side without looking back.
"…you'll already know what happens."
The hum of the ventilation fans returned. The echo of his steps faded.
Tomoya stayed on the ground, trembling, crying, trying to piece together what he couldn't explain.
Yuta was no longer there.
He walked along the side path toward the school's exit, unhurried but without pause. The wind, absent before, now flowed through the open corridors, carrying a faint scent of flowers from the main garden.
In the corner of his vision, the system activated on its own.
[⚙️ Mission Successfully Completed]
[✔️ "Scarier Than a Ghost"]
✨ Rewards:
+15% Cursed Energy
+3 Attribute Points
Bonus: +2 Points (Emotionally efficient execution and lasting impact detected)
Yuta watched the data update automatically. The Cursed Energy gauge rose. Attribute points appeared as small golden fragments floating at the edge of the system.
'Two extra points?'
'Didn't even have to try that hard.'
He closed the interface with a subtle gesture.
A few meters from the gate, he saw Megumi standing under the shade of a small tree. Backpack on her shoulders, her gaze attentive but calm. When she saw him, she didn't smile—just relaxed her shoulders. A minimal gesture. But clear.
Yuta approached.
"Sorry for taking so long."
She shook her head gently.
"It's fine."
Neither said more.
They walked together along the narrow sidewalk by the school's fence, toward the intersection.
As if everything was exactly where it should be.
Bonus Chapter Available!
Enjoying my work on "The curse and the Desire," "DXD: The Awakening of Phenex," or "Reincarnation in Smallville"?
Then I have a surprise for you!
By supporting me on Patreon, you'll gain access to exclusive bonus chapters, behind-the-scenes content, and much more.
Your support means the world to me and helps me keep writing the stories you love.
Support here: patreon.com/22Mirko22
Thank you so much for reading — see you in the next chapter!