Inside a room, several people stood stiffly. Their clothes were neat, as if they were attending an important meeting, yet the atmosphere was far more suffocating than a simple business conference. It wasn't a secret base, but rather a chamber that resembled the office of a great leader.
At the center of the room, someone sat with an aura of authority that required no words to be felt. His face remained hidden in the shadows, but judging from the way everyone held their breath, it was clear he was the leader here.
"Fools… how could you possibly leave behind such an ancient relic?"
The deep voice of a man echoed, laced with restrained fury.
The two men standing before him could do nothing but bow their heads, their necks weighed down by the crushing burden of an unforgivable sin.
"Do you not understand… how priceless that artifact is!?"
The shout came from a bespectacled man across the leader's desk. His black hair was neatly combed to the side, catching the glint of the room's light. Behind the lenses of his glasses, a pair of cold eyes flickered faintly, hiding something far more terrifying than anger itself.
"Please forgive us… it was all beyond expectation," one of them finally spoke, his voice hoarse, on the verge of breaking.
"We never expected… that there would be another layer of security besides the electronic devices and sensors."
The bespectacled man stepped forward, his gaze sharp as it bore down on the ones hanging their heads.
"Didn't you bring a jamming transmitter? With that, the cameras and sensors should've been useless against you."
"Y-yes, we did use the jamming, but—"
"What the hell is this 'Jamming Ningen'!? Even the name itself sounds ridiculous!"
The man's furious roar shook the room, making the two accused shrink even further in place.
"What kind of organization are you supposed to be!? You're paid handsomely, only to return empty-handed!?"
From beneath the desk came the distinct electronic chime of a retro game, accompanied by rapid click–click button presses.
Everyone froze, only just realizing the source of the sound—the leader himself, who was casually absorbed in a racing game on the tiny screen of a Game Boy.
"BOOM!!"
The leader's car exploded at a sharp corner, the screen flashing Game Over.
With an expressionless face, he let out an annoyed sigh, then tossed the Game Boy onto the table. It wasn't an act of rage, but more like casually discarding useless trash.
"That's enough, Ishida. You're too damn noisy, you know?"
His voice carried a lazy drawl, yet that very tone froze everyone in place—as if those few words were far more terrifying than the furious shouts from earlier.
"My apologies, Waka," Ishida muttered, his voice trembling with restrained nervousness. He hurriedly straightened his slightly crooked tie, as if that small act could somehow conceal the panic already written all over him. Meanwhile, the leader remained seated within the shadows, still refusing to reveal his figure.
"Listen… I just got back from school. I'm tired, you know? Can't someone else take this position instead? I really can't be bothered… besides, I still have a huge backlog of games I haven't played."
His voice droned with the lazy whine of a teenager reluctant to do homework.
Silence swept across the room. The subordinates, who had been tense just moments ago, could only swallow hard—unsure whether to laugh or to feel even more afraid.
From the left side of the line, a woman finally stepped forward. Her voice was calm yet firm, piercing through the stillness.
"Forgive me… but such behavior is absolutely intolerable. You know full well that the Sachou is abroad. As the eldest son… the responsibility falls entirely on you."
The sharp click of her heels echoed against the marble floor, soft yet commanding. A perfect contrast to the languid tone of the young leader still lounging in the shadows.
"Haaah… fine, fine…"
The leader let out a long sigh, his shoulders lifting slightly as though bearing a burden he had no desire to carry.
"In that case, Mei… you deal with those two."
His words were tossed out lightly, as though he were handing over a toy—not the fate of two grown men kneeling before them.
"To be honest… I don't really care about Father's work."
He sank deeper into his chair, his childish whine coming through clear.
"Besides, I'm only in fifth grade, you know? I should be playing in the park with my friends right now—not sitting here listening to adults nag. It's so annoying…"
For a moment, silence filled the room again. Those naive, spoiled words somehow made everyone hold their breath.
Uragami Mei, a twenty-five-year-old woman, stepped forward with graceful poise. Her beauty was accentuated by her shimmering blue eyes and lips of soft crimson. Her brown hair fell neatly around her shoulders, her bangs cut to perfection. From time to time, her left index finger would rise to adjust those bangs—a reflexive motion that carried an air of elegance.
"Understood," she spoke gently, yet with authority. "But just this once. Next time, if you abandon your responsibility again… don't expect any new games at the end of the month."
The room tensed. The threat sounded simple, yet it struck directly at the young leader's weakest point.
"Hahh? What are you, my mother!?"
Waka's voice rang out from within the shadows. No one could see his expression there, but the childish fury in his tone carried more weight than any cold stare could.
"Orders from the Sachou are absolute!" Mei's words were short, decisive, and left no room for argument. Even Waka was silenced.
With a face set in strict discipline, Mei turned toward the two members of the Jamming Ningen Organization. Her gaze was piercing, cold, yet graceful all the same.
"You two… watch this video carefully."
She opened a laptop, tilting the screen toward them, and pressed play with her slender fingers.
The recording crackled faintly before the playback began.
A busy intersection in Itabashishonco, Tokyo.
Suddenly—
CRASH! Two cars collided violently, rolling across the asphalt. The screech of metal and shattering glass mixed with the screams of bystanders. Thick white smoke billowed out, swallowing the camera's view.
From inside the overturned SUV, two men staggered out. Their bodies trembled, their steps unsteady. After a brief moment of hesitation, panic flashed across their faces, and they bolted—vanishing from the frame.
The crowd around them could only gape some shouted in panic, others frozen in shock at the sudden disaster.
Then… within the swirling smoke, a figure emerged.
A cloaked individual, face hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat. He walked slowly toward the wrecked black sedan and knelt beside it. His movements were faint, as if he were doing something—but the thickening smoke seemed almost deliberate, concealing whatever took place behind that white veil.
Moments later, the cloaked figure rose… and vanished into the haze, swallowed completely by the smoke.
Not long after, sirens wailed. Police cars and ambulances pulled up, cutting through the chaos. Officers rushed to evacuate the victims from the black sedan.
Though the footage wasn't entirely clear, two bodies were successfully pulled out.
A child… and an adult.
Tap.
The laptop was shut and carried at Mei Uragami's side in her right hand. With her left, she elegantly brushed her bangs back into place.
"Now… after seeing this video, do you understand?" Mei's voice was calm, but her eyes were sharp.
"Fortunately, no other cameras managed to capture you afterward. As expected of Jamming Ningen—when it comes to running away, you're second to none."
Her tone shifted, firm and unyielding, every word striking like undeniable evidence.
"However, we did obtain some clues."
"First… that man in the black cloak. According to Ishida's analysis, it's highly unlikely he was retrieving the ring from the scattered briefcase."
"Correct."
Ishida adjusted the bridge of his glasses with his index finger, the lenses flashing faintly and concealing the look in his eyes.
"In such a situation, a normal civilian would have behaved properly—handing everything over to the authorities. But that man appeared out of nowhere… and disappeared just as suddenly."
Mei's brows knitted slightly.
"Did he take the ring? The chances are very slim. Was he just a meddler? The chances are just as slim."
The two members of Jamming Ningen remained silent. Their faces had gone pale, eyes darting left and right as though their heads throbbed under the weight of the information. Their expressions said it all forced to listen, unable to argue.
"Exactly. Which is why… the most likely scenario is that the police were the ones who found it, and assumed the item belonged to the two victims inside the sedan." Mei's voice carried unwavering conviction, calm yet absolute.
The tension in the room thickened once more. But then, another voice suddenly cut through—
"Seriously, what the hell? Why are you guys acting like detectives, huh?"
It was Waka's voice.
From within the shadows, the boy continued mashing the buttons on his Game Boy, utterly indifferent to the grave discussion taking place. The beeping chimes of the retro game clashed sharply with the suffocating atmosphere that bound the room.
Mei and Ishida responded only with silence, their heads lowered for a moment.
"I'll give you both one last chance," Uragami Mei declared.
"Go. Gather information on the two victims, and confirm whether they had the relic we're after."
Cold sweat trickled down the temples of the Jamming Ningen members. Their breathing grew heavy, their expressions tense, as though they were already shackled even before moving.
It was then that Ishida spoke, his voice flat yet carrying a veiled threat.
"You are not to return until you bring back that relic. Should you even think of giving up, or worse, attempting to run—"
He pushed his glasses up with his index finger, the glint of the lenses concealing his eyes.
"—then we will squeeze every last drop out of Jamming Ningen. Heh. That would be all too easy… for our company."
"If you understand… then get out of here at once!" Mei's voice rang loud, echoing through the room.
"Y-Yes, ma'am…!!"
The two Jamming Ningen members flinched, their pale faces frozen as they replied, before scrambling toward the exit in a panic.
But just moments later—
BANG!
The sound of a furious shout, followed by a slammed desk, shook the room. Instinctively, all the staff turned their heads toward Waka's desk.
"W-What's wrong, Waka!?" Ishida asked, his face drawn tight with concern, while Mei—startled into a shiver—hurriedly brushed her chestnut bangs back into place with a quick flick.
"Damn it! I hate insects!!"
Waka's whiny voice rang out from within the shadows.
"Why the hell are there suddenly ants crawling all over my desk, Mei!? Get rid of them! Now!!"
His childlike tone burst forth like a tiny storm, leaving everyone else frozen in silence—caught between bewilderment and the urge to laugh, though no one dared.
"R-Right, I'm on it!" Mei dashed toward him, her face remaining disciplined, though her eyes clearly betrayed disbelief at having to deal with something so ridiculous.
***
6:00 p.m., at the Hisaka residence.
A grand, two-story home stood with quiet dignity, its white-painted walls accented with deep brown trim. A modern fence framed the property, blending with a neat garden filled with lush Japanese holly and rows of tea bushes, radiating an air of calm elegance.
"I'm home…"
Hisaka Midori slid the door open, her gentle voice carrying softly into the house. She bowed slightly as she slipped her shoe off her right ankle.
Behind her, Pirika hopped lightly onto the gleaming wooden floor.
Meow~
I carefully placed my shoes into the getabako. For a moment, my body froze at the edge of the genkan, my eyes sweeping over every spotless inch of the pristine room.
Yet the silence pierced me.
My heart was clouded by something—like loss, loneliness, and a faint yearning, all tangled together in the very air I breathed.
I knew… my father and mother were still alive. And yet, somehow, this world felt unbearably empty. The warmth that used to greet me when I came home… was gone, vanished into nothing.
Usually, I would hear my mother's voice from within the house, softly welcoming me:
"Welcome back, Hisaka."
Eh…?
That voice… just now? It sounded exactly like hers.
Was it because I longed for her so much, that I had begun to hallucinate?
"Why are you so quiet, Midori?"
Pirika's gaze bore into me, sharp enough to pierce through my thoughts. Could it be… she felt the same emptiness that I did?
"Oi, kid. Are you listening? Don't drift off…"
The sudden voice shattered my daze, sending a tremor through my chest.
"Pirika, did you hear that?"
"Of course not. Only you can hear their voices," Pirika replied, tilting her head up at me.
"Listen carefully, kid. Don't sink too deep into sorrow. With that ring, you might just open something else inside yourself."
"Something else? What do you mean…?"
I turned toward her, but before I could press further, the corner of my eye caught a faint shadow slipping past the kitchen.
My heartbeat pounded. My body tensed instinctively, and a small gasp escaped my throat.
"What is it, Midori? Don't tell me…!"
Pirika's eyes widened in alarm, as if realizing something. Without waiting for my answer, her small body shot toward the kitchen—her movements swift yet light, like a tiny predator guided purely by instinct.
I could only stand frozen in place, swallowed by an unease I couldn't quite explain. And yet… strangely enough, the moment Pirika vanished into the kitchen, that suffocating fear began to ease. Her very presence seemed to calm the storm inside my chest.
A few seconds later, she returned, her steps lighter, slower. Her expression was calm—unreadable, as if nothing unusual had happened at all.
"It's done. There's nothing there," she said flatly, as though drawing a curtain over everything that had just unfolded.
"Thank you, Pirika…" I crouched down before her, and without realizing it, a warm smile spread across my face. It felt genuine, flowing from somewhere deep inside me.
Pirika averted her gaze instantly, her tail twitching with a faint restlessness.
"D-don't… think too much of it," she muttered, her voice rougher than usual, almost like someone caught off guard by embarrassment.
I held back a small laugh. Was this… shy-cat mode? Or… tsundere mode, maybe?
"A-anyway, g-go take a bath already," she stammered, clearly eager to change the subject. "Then straight to bed. You've got school tomorrow, don't you?"
She threw me a quick sideways glance, sharp but almost protective, before adding,
"Kids shouldn't stay up too late."
"Okaaay~," I replied in an exaggeratedly playful tone, grinning wide. I got to my feet and made my way toward the staircase, climbing step by step toward my room on the second floor.
Behind me, Pirika followed with her graceful feline gait. The soft tap… tap… tap of her claws against the wooden steps played in rhythm with my own footsteps, like a quiet duet.
That night, wrapped in the warmth of my blanket, I drifted into slumber. But somewhere in the haze of sleep, my ears caught something faint. A murmur—whispers, like voices trading secrets—drifting in from the direction of my balcony.
"The noise wasn't strong enough to disturb me—merely a hushed resonance, like voices from afar, exchanging whispers in the dark."
"…Who…?" I muttered inwardly, half-dreaming. Was that Pirika's voice? Or perhaps just the chorus of nocturnal insects, their cries weaving together until they almost resembled human conversation?
For some reason, my curiosity was held back, smothered by the drowsiness that grew heavier and heavier…
***
That morning, I headed to school as usual. My father drove me there and stopped right in front of the gate. I got out, gently closed the door, and waved at him. He replied with a faint smile before rolling up the window, and the car slowly pulled away from the school grounds.
I stood there for a moment, watching the back of his car grow smaller and smaller. His words from earlier in the car still lingered vividly in my ears. He said Mom was getting better… but still couldn't come home yet.
I let out a deep breath. So, I'm still on probation, huh? I thought to myself, lowering my head.
"Ohayo, Hisaka!" Takumi's cheerful voice called out from behind me.
I turned around. "Ohayo," I replied briefly.
We walked side by side through the school gates and into the courtyard.
"So, did you manage to find the book you were looking for yesterday?" he asked, glancing at me, his face warm with curiosity.
"Eh?" I blinked. How did he know? I never told anyone I was out looking for a book yesterday.
"How does Takumi know that?" I asked in puzzlement.
"Hehehe… of course I know. Hisaka's the kind of person who loves reading. I also know the habits of the other classmates too, y'know," he said proudly, his smile full of confidence.
Hmm… so that's the reason. All this time, he wasn't sitting in the back row because he was lazy—he was secretly observing everyone.
"Huh, your cat came along too?" Takumi said, halting mid-step when he noticed Pirika strolling casually along the school fence.
"Ah… yeah. There's no one at home, so I figured I'd bring her along. Otherwise, she'd get lonely," I answered a little awkwardly.
"Lonely, my tail! Who do you think you're calling lonely, brat?!" Pirika snapped furiously, her tail lashing like a whip.
"Heeh, but it's amazing how she actually listens to you," Takumi muttered, staring at Pirika, who now sat proudly atop the fence—almost like a guardian lion statue at a shrine.
"Mi~doriii! Ohayooo!"
The lively greeting rang out from ahead, brimming with energy. A girl with shoulder-length black hair jogged over, waving her hand with a bright smile.
Megumi Aika—my classmate who never seemed to run out of spirit.
"Ohayo, Aika!" Takumi greeted her, though his tone sounded a little awkward.
In an instant, Megumi's cheerful face turned sour. Eh? Why the sudden change? Did she… not like Takumi? Hopefully not…
"Wahhh, Midori's cat came to school too! So cute~ I wish I had a cat that could come to school with me. Hehe." Megumi's eyes sparkled as she leaned closer, looking at Pirika with delight.
"M-me… cute?" Pirika's small voice trembled as if she couldn't believe what she'd just heard.
"Brat! You're the first one who's ever called me cute… not like Midoriii…" Pirika suddenly burst into tears, her fur standing on end in a dramatic display.
I could only grimace. Ugh, here we go again with Pirika's drama…
"Meow~"
"Hm? What's wrong, Pirika-chan?" Megumi tilted her head, her wide eyes filled with innocent curiosity.
"That's just how she is. She absolutely loves being praised," I replied with narrowed eyes, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
Pirika shot me an annoyed look, which only made the whole situation feel even funnier.
Soon, the day's lesson kicked off. Today's lesson was about planting and taking care of different kinds of plants. Sensei explained everything with a kind smile, filling the classroom with a cheerful atmosphere that made everyone excited to learn. Some curious students even raised their hands to ask questions. The room felt warm and lively, laughter bubbling here and there.
Before I knew it, the lunch bell rang. As usual, we all pulled out our bentos. This time I sat with Megumi, and for once, Takumi didn't come to bother us. Right at the start of break, I had caught sight of him walking out of class with his group. Not that I cared or anything—just a coincidence.
Sure enough, as we were chatting casually by the window with a few other girls, I noticed the boys outside through the glass.
Some of them were tossing a ball around, while others were busy scouring the grass, tree trunks, and flower stems for bugs.
"What in the world are those boys doing out there?" one of the girls asked, peeking out the window.
"Looks like… they're catching bugs to make them fight?" another replied.
"Hah? That's so weird. What a dumb hobby. Honestly, how stupid can they get," one girl said with a sharp tone.
"Yosh, I caught a worm!"
"Uwaah, seriously? Isn't that gross?"
"As a guy, aren't you ashamed saying that?"
"It's not about shame, it's just… there are plenty of other bugs, you know!"
"No way, this one's perfect for my Enma!"
"Takumi! What did you get?"
"Me? I caught a grasshopper! Look, check it out, haha!" Takumi grinned, proudly holding up his hand.
His three friends immediately crowded around, their eyes sparkling with excitement as they stared at the grasshopper.
"Whoa, that's awesome!"
"It's pretty big too. This is gonna be an epic battle!" one of them exclaimed, eyes gleaming.
"Right? Hahaha." Takumi puffed out his chest, grinning with pride.
"In that case, let's head back to class!"
With high spirits, Takumi and his three friends dashed out of the schoolyard. Their footsteps echoed lightly in the hallway as they climbed the stairs, still carrying the leftover thrill from their game.
They burst into the classroom in a rush. One of them immediately ducked down and pulled something out from under his desk—a large box that looked like it had been prepared since morning. The moment the box was opened, gasps of admiration erupted from their mouths. The once-quiet classroom was instantly filled with noisy cheers, prompting the girls to glance over with annoyed expressions.
"Hey, you guys! Could you not play bug fights in the classroom? It's seriously annoying, you know!"
"What do you mean, annoying? This has nothing to do with you anyway. Why don't you just take a nap or something, huh?"
"Ahahaha!" the boys burst out laughing in unison.
While the argument heated up, Megumi and I sat quietly across from each other. She was absorbed in doodling on her notebook, while I kept on reading. Hm? Curious about what book this is? It's a book on insect species. Yesterday, I failed to get my hands on the Solomon Gate's book I was looking for—they said it was sold out. So today, I'm planning to check another bookstore.
"If you guys don't stop, I'll call sensei!" one of the girls shouted. With a scowl on her face, she stood up and marched straight out of the classroom.
SLIDE!
The girl who was about to storm out and report them froze in shock. The sliding door of the classroom had already shut tight—and blocking the exit was a hulking figure. A chubby boy with glasses, his head shaved smooth like a monk.
"W-what the…? Since when did we have a student this huge in our class?!" she cried out in panic.
The atmosphere fell silent in an instant, forcing Megumi and me to glance up.
"Good work, Tajima," one of the boys in the back said, his voice dripping with satisfaction.
"No one is allowed to interfere with this battle," Tajima declared flatly. The light gleamed off his glasses, making his presence all the more intimidating.
"Y-you just said… what…?" the girl stammered, her trembling voice caught between fear and frustration. Her face was a clear mixture of both.
"Alright, let's get this started!" one of the boys shouted with enthusiasm.
"This is Enma—the centipede. One bite from this guy and it's an instant K.O.!" Takumi raised his contender—the grasshopper.
"Not so fast," his friend shot back immediately. "This grasshopper's got a rider kick. Just look at those big folded legs!"
"Boys and their hobbies… seriously, what's the point of something so useless?" Megumi muttered, her expression scrunched in annoyance.
We sat in the front row, just watching from a distance. Even so, I chose to ignore the ruckus and refocus on the book in my hands.
But just as I tried to sink back into my reading, something brushed against my ears—a wave of sound, as though it came from some other creature entirely.
"N-n-no…! Somebody… anybody, help me…!" the grasshopper cried in panic, its wings trembling as it desperately tried to leap backward. Its body was dragged across the sand inside that large box—the battlefield.
Before it, a monstrous centipede writhed, its glossy black segments glistening, its eyes gleaming with feral hunger.
"Fufufu… I never thought today's lunch would be this appetizing—and free of charge at that," the centipede hissed in a deep, chilling voice, its mandibles clattering like daggers eager to tear flesh.
"So… being kept as a human's pet isn't as bad as I thought. Gwahahaha!" its booming laughter echoed as its long body twisted arrogantly over the sand.
"D-damn it… do I really have to fight this thing…?" the grasshopper muttered, its legs shaking, wings half-raised as if searching for a way to flee.
"All of this… it's because of those damn human kids…" it whispered in despair, its antennae trembling with dread.
"I don't know what nonsense you're spouting… but your fate is already sealed!" roared the centipede, its jaws opening wide, revealing gleaming, knife-like fangs.
"Look, Enma's about to strike!" shouted one of the boys, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Yeah, crush him, Enma!" another cheered.
"Hang in there, Ichigo Rider!" one of their friends yelled, pumping his fist as if lending strength.
The giant centipede shot forward with a swift, coiling motion, its body lashing like a living whip. Sand erupted into the air from the impact. But the grasshopper—Ichigo Rider—sprang high with razor-sharp reflexes. Its wings buzzed, flashing green in the light, before it landed neatly right behind the centipede, poised to launch a counterattack.
"Not bad… but—" the centipede hissed, its massive body tightening, a thousand legs drumming against the sand in a rapid beat like the sound of war drums.
"Can you dodge this!?"
And then—
BLUP!
"Woooah! The centipede dove into the sand!" one of the students shouted, eyes wide in shock.
"This is bad! Can Ichigo Rider evade the ambush this time!?" another yelled, his voice cracking with tension.
"Uwahh… if he gets caught, it's definitely K.O. for Ichigo…" Takumi muttered, his face tense, though his eyes still burned with excitement.
The grasshopper froze for a moment, his oval-shaped green eyes trembling. In his vision, the massive faces of the humans loomed, cheering with all their might, eagerly awaiting the outcome of the battle.
"…What's so fun about this… damn it…" he whispered bitterly, caught between fear and despair.
"Ichigo is already bracing himself for the attack," one of the students observed, noticing the twitching of the grasshopper's antennae.
"Very well… if my fate is to die because of these humans… then at the very least, I'll make sure you feel satisfied," the grasshopper muttered. He tightened the muscles in his legs, filled with resolve.
In his sharp gaze, Ichigo spotted the sand shifting rapidly—like a moving hill. He didn't miss a single motion. The wave of sand suddenly halted for an instant.
And then—
BWOOM!!
The centipede burst forth directly beneath the grasshopper, its pincers snapping around his legs, while countless hooked limbs writhed and coiled around him.
"Got you!!" the centipede roared.
"Damn it…!" Ichigo growled.
At that very moment, the grasshopper unleashed his hidden power—the energy he had been holding back all this time. A surge of force coursed through every muscle in his legs, trembling, ready to explode.
"Hooper Kick!!"
"Buhaagghh!!"
The centipede, Enma, took the full force of the blow. His body was hurled backward, crashing violently into the sand.
"Wooooaaahhh!!"
A roar of awe erupted, rumbling like the cheers of a crowd in a grand arena.
"Incredible, Ichigo!"
Every pair of eyes sparkled at the sight of that spectacular kick.
But—
Ichigo collapsed. His body trembled, his wings quivering faintly. A piercing cry tore from his mouth—a scream of agony.
"Eh…!?" The spectators gasped, their faces paling.
From beneath the sand came a chilling sound, laced with satisfaction.
The centipede rose, towering like a black monolith pressing against the sky. Its metallic legs clattered with a sharp, ringing echo, spreading an aura of death.
Behind it, a pair of colossal eyes—huge, unblinking, gleaming like the moon and stars—stood as silent witnesses to the tragedy.
"Well then… time for the main course."
Ichigo staggered, his breath ragged.
"Haaah… is this as far as I go? My life…" he whispered weakly, as though surrendering himself to fate.
Enma the centipede dove down, his long body twisting swiftly through the air. His face, now revealed, was the visage of a monster.
"That's as far as you go."
My voice cut through the tension, silencing everything—even the centipede poised to devour the grasshopper. Without waiting for anyone's protest, I slipped my hand into the box, lifted the grasshopper, and placed him gently on my open palm.
"Just now… did I hear your voice, human? Or was it merely my imagination?" Enma the centipede's voice trembled, caught between confusion and fury.
"No. Sorry, but I have to save this grasshopper. What is done with intent is not the will of nature."
I spoke within my heart, my green pupils staring straight down—conveying my resolve to the centipede without uttering a word.
"Impossible… how could this be…" The centipede still reeled in disbelief. But I paid him no mind. Everyone around us stood frozen, their mouths agape at what they were witnessing. Even Takumi had fallen silent, bereft of words.
"Oi, Hisaka! Why are you interfering? Put the grasshopper back, now!"
One student still shouted stubbornly, his voice slicing through the heavy silence.
I turned slowly, my expression grave, and with calm certainty I replied:
"Very well. But hand over your finger to the centipede first. If you feel no pain… then I'll return it. Just as this grasshopper lost its leg."
"What did you say!?" His face twisted in anger, fists clenched, yet I stood firm—wearing only a confident smile.
I walked toward Megumi. Her eyes shimmered with tears, her hands clasped tightly together as she gazed at me.
"Midori… you were incredible," she whispered, her voice trembling.
She stepped closer, standing at my side, her gaze fixed upon the grasshopper resting in my hand.
"It looks so pitiful… What should we do? Should we try to heal it?" she asked, her tone overflowing with compassion.
I approached the open window, extending both hands outward. A gentle breeze blew through, scattering fallen leaves as though bidding the grasshopper farewell.
"No… nature will heal its wounds on its own," I whispered, looking deeply into the insect's eyes.
"I… can only offer you my gratitude, human child," the faint voice echoed within my mind, heavy with emotion.
"If only I had been born a human… I would surely repay your kindness," it continued, its fragile wings trembling.
"Its Alright… now, fly as high as you can."
I tossed the grasshopper gently into the air. Its wings fluttered, carrying it upward, soaring along the breeze together with the swirling leaves in the evening sky.
Below, I caught sight of Pirika, who had also been watching. A gentle smile spread across her face. Megumi too, raised her small hand in a wave—greeting Pirika down below as her eyes sparkled.
To be continued…