So there really were four of them… But why did this fourth person give Black Rabbit such a terrifying feeling? Ugh… What kind of terrifying figure did she end up summoning?
Sensing that suffocating aura of power that made her shiver uncontrollably, Black Rabbit trembled as she hid in the grass, her ears perked up in fear. She had no idea what to do.
Were they going to fight? The power that froze the entire lake felt overwhelmingly dangerous. If they started fighting, the destruction would be unimaginable, wouldn't it?
Just as she was contemplating whether or not to come out and try to stop the impending violent clash, the situation below shifted once again.
Izayoi stared at Yoru with slight nervousness, while the two girls cowered behind him, speechless. Yoru, expressionless, walked over, rubbing his chin with a confused look and spoke up.
"…Am I scary?"
"Ah… I wouldn't say scary, but you are a powerhouse. The kind of strong person that makes you shiver just from standing there!"
Izayoi spoke excitedly, clenching his fists as his body trembled from the thrill.
"A strong one, huh…"
Hearing those words, Yoru gave a bitter smile and lowered his head, a bit downcast.
Strong, huh…? If he really were a fearless powerhouse…
Lost in thought, he was snapped back to the present by Izayoi's voice again.
"Well then, let's fight!"
Yoru blinked, puzzled, as he looked at Izayoi now standing before him in a fighting stance.
This guy… what's he trying to do?
"I thought this would be boring, but to think I'd actually meet someone like you!"
Eyes gleaming with excitement, Izayoi urged Yoru on with impatience.
"Come on, let's fight! You're a strong one, right? There's no way you'd back down from a challenge! Let's have a real man-to-man fight—fists only!"
"Sorry, not interested."
Without even considering Izayoi's enthusiastic invitation, Yoru rejected him coldly, and the battle-hungry teen deflated instantly.
"What the hell… Aren't you a strong guy? How can you back down from a challenge?"
Izayoi grumbled with discontent, while Yoru's expression turned somewhat melancholic.
"I'm not strong… I never was. I'm just a failure who can't even properly control his own power."
Saying this, Yoru walked past Izayoi and the two girls. He glanced at the frozen lake behind them and waved his hand. Instantly, the terrifying chill vanished, and the entire lake returned to its original state.
This godlike display left all three teens stunned, their mouths agape. Izayoi's expression, in particular, was priceless.
"T-This… this is what you call can't control your own power? That's practically divine!"
The three of them had no words to respond, completely overwhelmed by the aura and pressure Yoru exuded. But Yoru ignored their reactions and instead walked straight toward where Black Rabbit was hiding.
Ugh… why is he walking this way?! So scary… so terrifying! What should I do?!
Black Rabbit panicked, not knowing how to respond. Yoru stopped right in front of the bush she was hiding in.
"…Where is this place?"
His calm question made Black Rabbit shrink into herself even more. How? How?! I was sure I hid perfectly!
"Oh…"
Yoru's voice made Izayoi blink. He'd been so thrown off by Yoru's sudden appearance that he still hadn't fully processed things. Now that he was calming down, he finally noticed something.
"So that's it. Looks like that one's the culprit, huh?"
"Eh?" Hiding under the trees, Black Rabbit felt as if her heart was being squeezed. "I've been found? No way… this has to be a joke."
"What? You already noticed?"
"Of course. I've never lost a game of hide-and-seek. And the girl holding the cat over there probably noticed too, right?"
"Being upwind makes it hard not to notice."
"…Heh? You're pretty interesting."
Izayoi let out a light, mischievous laugh, though there was no humor in his eyes.
The three people who had been summoned without warning all turned their cold, killing-intent-laced gazes toward Black Rabbit's hiding spot. Combined with the faint air of death and coldness emanating from Yoru, the pressure was enough to nearly make the timid rabbit cry.
"Y-You're all so mean! Glaring at me like a pack of terrifying wolves—Black Rabbit's going to die of fright! You know, loneliness and wolves have always been rabbits' greatest enemies. But if you could just listen calmly to what I have to say, Black Rabbit would be really grateful!"
Trembling, Black Rabbit stepped out of hiding and tried to speak with a quivering voice.
"Nope!" Izayoi answered flatly.
"Denied!" Kasukabe Yō followed up.
"Rejected!" Kudō Asuka delivered the finishing blow.
As for Yoru, he looked at the tearful rabbit in front of him, then at the trio behind him, and seemed a bit dazed.
Whatever… whatever they're up to has nothing to do with me. What matters now is figuring out exactly where this place is.
With that in mind, Yoru stepped closer to Black Rabbit. She shrank back in fear again, while the trio fell silent.
In comparison, Yoru's presence gave them a stronger sense of pressure.
"…Where is this place?"
Yoru asked again, this time trying to keep his tone as gentle as possible. But to Black Rabbit's ears, it sounded like the final warning before punishment, and her legs gave out beneath her with a thud.
"Uuuu… I'm sorry, I'm sorry… It's all Black Rabbit's fault for rudely summoning you, sir…"
"Do I really look that scary?"
Watching the trembling girl beg for mercy, Yoru was now the one left speechless. He rubbed the tip of his nose in frustration. Although the curse of Original Sin had stained him with an aura of guilt, he thought he'd kept it under control. He didn't expect to frighten someone this badly.
"N-No, not at all! You may feel a bit intimidating, sir, but you look like a kind person."
Black Rabbit forced a shaky smile and, without saying a word, handed Yoru a card before gathering herself and shakily standing up.
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