Silence returned, deeper and heavier than before. The only sounds were the faint rustle of leaves and the soft, held breath of the girl beside me. The adrenaline was gone, leaving a hollow, aching coldness in its wake.
And in that cold silence, a gigantic, stupidly obvious dilemma crashed down on me.
'Well, great, I managed to win a fight solo without Moka rescuing my ass.'
'Pretty good for my ego, for sure. But what now?'
'... How do I revert back to my human form? It's not like I can just walk inside the classroom in this form. It will lead to me getting expelled. Which I'd rather not, since I just started to enjoy the process.'
I looked down at my hands. Pale, almost greyish skin. My nails were too long, too sharp. I could feel the density and raw strength of my body, how my limbs also had this otherworldly lightness and also heaviness when tensing those muscle fibers. There was also my enhanced senses that shattered any premise of what I knew was possible.
'I guess this is how Moka sees the world when the Rosario Cross is taken off.'
'Reminds me of that sci-fi novel I've read in the past (Blindsight) that talks about Vampires. Wow, I can see dust specs if I focus my eyes on it. Urgh, now I kinda don't want to see all these details.'
Shifting my attention away from microscopic dirt, I shifted to other improved senses I had in my Ghoul Form, that was olfactory senses which opened my nostrils and brain to all sorts of scents and flavours.
The scent of Kurumu's fear-sweat and perfume was as clear as the coppery tang of blood in my mouth.
'How the hell do I turn back? I fear I will overload my brain all of a sudden now that I'm in control of my body.'
Panic, cold and slick, started to bubble up. It wasn't like there was an 'off' switch. I couldn't just waltz into the Homeroom like this. Shizuka-sensei would take one look at me and scold me for being a 'bad student' in breaking the Academy Rules and get expelled.'
'And I was just starting to… enjoy the process here. The grinding, the growth, all this building up my self-esteem to levels I didn't have back in my first life.'
"T-Tsukune-kun?" Kurumu's voice was a tiny, trembling thing in the quiet.
'Right. Let's not try to awaken any Vampire Multithreaded Consciousness. That will be my doom in awakening my Paranoia and Schizophrenia.'
'Since I'm not alone, let's focus back on returning to human form.'
'I forced myself to take a slow, deliberate breath. Okay. Think. This is my body afterall, as long as I desire to return back, it theory it should work right? If I command my body to change, it would follow my lead… Right?'
Easier said than done. The Ghoul's instincts were like a bloodthirsty beast roaring at the back of my skull, whispering about threat assessment, about the sweet-smelling prey right next to me…
'That's bad… I just thought about the multithreaded consciousness and I feel it starts happening.'
'No. I shut it down. Hard'
Ignoring Kurumu's wide-eyed stare, I lowered myself into a seiza position, then shifted to a simple cross-legged meditation pose. I returned to the basics of what calmed me down my anxieties and paranoia when I was just a simple human, the breathing of the Ice Man, Wim Hof Method.
'In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. Only his iconic voice is missing out.'
I focused everything on the rhythm.
'In. Hold. Out.'
I visualized the demonic energy retreating, the stolen vitality settling, the otherworldly structure of my bones and muscles softening back into their familiar, human frailty.
It was like trying to push a boulder uphill with my mind. Every exhale was a battle. My skin crawled. My joints ached with a deep, popping sensation.
But slowly, agonizingly, the breathing meditation started showing progress. Of course, I think if I was under a cold shower or ice bath, the efficiency would be doubled.
The sharpness in my vision blunted. The overwhelming scents faded. I felt myself… deflating. The powerful strengthened muscle fibers relaxed, the grey pallor of my skin warming back to its normal tone. I let out a final, shuddering breath, feeling utterly drained, but human. Mostly.
A soft chime echoed in my mind.
[Achievement Unlocked: 'Will of the Uncorrupted'.]
[Through sheer force of will you have suppressed the Ghoul Vampire transformation without external aid or complete loss of control. Demonic Energy, Bloodline Control, and Bloodline Purity has increased.]
[Demonic Energy has stabilized. Capacity and control increased.]
[Demonic Energy: E (15/100) -> Consolidated. Efficiency improved -> D (1/100)]
[Bloodline Purity has stabilized, integrating gained essence without critical backlash.]
[Bloodline Purity: 30.44% -> 35.01% (Stable Integration)]
[Bloodline Control has significantly increased.]
[Bloodline Control: E (26/100) -> D (1/100)]
Seeing my willpower of trying to stay centered and conscious while inside the Ghoul Vampire form rewarded, I couldn't help but do a small smile, while sighing out in relief, especially as my Bloodline Purity reached the point of stability.
'Does that means I could theoretically turn myself into the Ghoul Form, similar to doing a 'Devil's Trigger'?'
"TSUKUNE-KUN!"
Before I could even open my eyes, a wave of lavender scent and soft warmth crashed into me. Kurumu lunged, her arms wrapping around my neck in a grip that was almost as strong as the Ghoul's.
She was trembling.
"I thought… I thought you were going to lose yourself! That you'd turn into a mindless monster and I'd have to… to…" She buried her face in my shoulder, her words dissolving into shaky breaths.
She pulled back slightly, her beautiful face streaked with tears. Then, with a frantic, motherly energy, she started fussing over me.
Her small hands patted down my rumpled shirt, straightening the collar. She pulled a lace-trimmed handkerchief from… somewhere, and with startling tenderness, began to dab at the corner of my mouth. The blood from where I'd bitten my own lip to stay grounded.
"Are you okay? Really okay?" Her amethyst eyes searched mine, then dropped to my right hand.
The burn from the silver cross was an angry, blistering red, but even as we watched, the inflammation was receding, the skin knitting at a speed that would put any human hospital to shame.
However, what was a interesting case study was that now, in my Human-form (Default-state) the silver-cross necklace no longer affected my body in a harmful way, as if it were reacting previously to my Demonic Energy.
Her gaze lingered on the healing wound, then flew back to my face. The curiosity in her eyes was now a burning inferno.
"Tsukune-kun," she started, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You're… you really are a Vampire, aren't you? Just like Moka?" She leaned in, her breath tickling my ear. "You didn't reveal your Yokai form when you fought me because you feared it would hurt me?"
"Could it be that you also have feelings for me? Was it love at first sight, just like mine?"
She continued pestering me, no, bombarding me with all sorts of questions, that made me want to just crawl somewhere and hide from her persistent, Yandere tendencies.
"..." I didn't know how to stop this assault into my already fried brain.
"If you want to think about it that way, sure. I would feel bad if I were to bruise your body like I did with those three idiots."
"Awww, Tsukune-kun. So, I was right all along. You cared for me since I got dizzy when we first truly connected at the lake."
"I'm so in love with you. You were also cool, teaching those three ungrateful idiots a lesson."
Her train of thought was completely derailed, heading straight into Rom-Com Station. I opened my mouth to deflect, to say something vague.
But I never got the chance.
She pulled me into another hot embrace, this time pressing my face firmly into the incredible, soft valley of her chest.
The world narrowed to the heat of her skin through the fabric, the frantic drum of her heart against my ear, and the soft, yielding fullness under my palm. A low, hungry sound vibrated in my throat—one I didn't fully recognize as my own.
It's clear that even in my human form, I was no longer what I used to be. The blood circulating in my system was almost half of the highest class of Vampire, that of a Shinso Vampire, and its influences weren't just active when I turned into a Ghoul Vampire.
Seems like I was naive, even my careful reservations were melting by the influence of the shinso blood, turning my actions and even silently nudging my actions into more daring, primal, almost possessive directions.
Kurumu's initial stiffness lasted only a second. A sharp, delicious intake of breath hitched in her chest, and then she melted, pressing herself more firmly into my touch. Her arms tightened around my head.
Emboldened, my thumb slid across the front of her blouse, seeking and finding a distinct, taut peak. I circled it slowly, feeling it harden instantly under my attention. Kurumu whimpered, a sweet, high sound that went straight to my core.
"T-Tsukune…kun…" she breathed, her voice thick and dazed.
That was all the invitation I needed. The gnawing hunger shifted, refined, targeting her. I pulled my head back just enough to look up at her. Her face was flushed, her amethyst eyes glazed with desire, her lips—those famously full, pouty lips—parted in a silent gasp. They were slick, inviting.
The rational part of my mind was a distant echo. This is a complication. A dangerous, delicious complication.
I ignored it.
My other hand came up, cradling the side of her face. My thumb brushed her lower lip. Her tongue darted out, a fleeting, warm touch against my skin that sent a jolt through me.
I leaned up, closing the gap between us. Our lips were a centimeter apart. I could feel the warm gust of her breath, sweet and expectant.
Then, my hand still on her chest, I pinched her hardened nipple lightly through the blouse.
She jerked against me, a full-body shudder wracking her frame. A muffled, needy cry escaped into the tiny space between our mouths. Her eyes flew wide open, not with protest, but with shock at the intensity of her own reaction. Her succubus nature was responding, intertwining with something that felt far more genuine.
I did it again, a little firmer, rolling the sensitive bud between my thumb and forefinger. Her blouse was a frustrating barrier. The desire to tear it aside, to feel skin, to taste, was a white-hot impulse in my veins.
"Ah! Tsuku—!" Her attempt to say my name broke off into another gasp as I shifted my attention to her other breast, giving it the same treatment through the fabric. Her back arched, pressing her chest more firmly into my hands. Her nails dug into my shoulders.
I was more shocked by my own actions than Kurumu was pleased by my dexterous fingers that made a mess out of her perky nipples. Yet, there was still a nasty, annoying instinct that I could translate as wanting to mark my territory.
Was it because I was transitioning into a Shinso Vampire?
The hell if I know, but it wasn't a bad change since it made me more confident, feeling like it was disabling certain 'useless' filters from my mind that would make me more timid.
My lips finally brushed against hers, taking my time in teasing her. I traced the plump curve of her lower lip with my tongue before pulling back just to watch her desperate expression.
"You're so responsive," I whispered against her mouth, my fingers still working her nipples into stiff, aching points. She was trembling violently now, held up only by my arms and her own clinging grip.
"I… I can't… it's too much…" she choked out, but her hips made a small, involuntary roll against my leg. Her uniform skirt had ridden up, and the heat of her burned through the fabric of my pants.
"Tell me to stop," I challenged, my voice low. My own control was a thin, fraying wire. The scent of her arousal, rich and floral, was drowning out everything else.
Her amethyst eyes, hazy with pleasure, found mine. Her pouty lips swollen from her own biting, formed a single, silent word: No.
The rational part of my mind was a distant echo, allowing my newfound instinct to guide this moment for me.
This was a massive complication. Yet, it was also a dangerous, delicious complication. I ignored it. Leaning up, I closed the gap between us, my intent clear.
It was all the permission I needed. When my mouth was a centimeter from tasting her, the world exploded in sound.
"We exchanged promises of revolution in the expanding darkness!
I loved you, so the flower of evil sprouted
I won't let anyone interfere with
Everything to come that is in the future!"
The aggressive guitar riff of The WORLD by Nightmare shredded the thick, intimate silence like a chainsaw. My phone, buried in my discarded jacket nearby, was screaming.
The spell shattered.
I froze, my lips a hair's breadth from hers. Kurumu jolted as if electrocuted, her eyes flying wide open, the sensual haze clearing into sheer, flustered panic. She scrambled back from me, almost falling over, her hands flying to her burning cheeks.
"I—I—Your phone!" she stammered, unable to meet my eyes, her gaze darting anywhere but at me or her own clearly perturbed chest.
Reality crashed back in, cold and sobering. The predatory heat receded, leaving behind a throbbing ache and a heap of awkwardness. With a groan that was part frustration, part relief, I pushed myself up and stumbled over to my jacket.
The screen glared up at me: Moka Akashiya.
A sharp, ironic laugh escaped me. Of course. Of course it was her. Was it some cosmic joke, or did women really have a sixth sense for the exact moment a guy was stepping out of line?
I took a deep, steadying breath, running a hand through my hair. The lingering scent of Kurumu's perfume and arousal was still on my fingers. Fantastic.
I thumbed the answer button and brought the phone to my ear, my voice coming out rougher than I intended. "Moka-chan. What's up?"
"Tsukune!" Her voice was laced with a worry so pure it made my gut twist with guilt. "Where are you? The first bell rang already! I waited by the entrance but you never came! Are you okay? You didn't run into more trouble, did you?"
Behind me, I could feel Kurumu's stare. I could practically hear her thoughts, a mix of lingering want and sharp jealousy.
I turned slightly away, lowering my voice. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just… got held up. Ran into some nuisance in the forest that took a bit to shake off." The lie came smoothly, coated in a layer of truth.
"Really? You're not hurt?" Her concern was a tangible force through the line.
"Not a scratch," I said, the image of my burned, now-healing hand flashing in my mind. "I'm on my way now. Save me a seat by the window?"
"Of course! Please hurry, Tsukune-san! Nekonome-sensei was asking about you!"
"Ohh, no worries, I'll speed up. See you in a bit."
I hung up, the cheerful ringtone finally silent. The quiet that returned now was tense, charged with everything left unsaid and unfinished.
I turned back to Kurumu. She had composed herself somewhat, though her blush remained, and she was stubbornly studying a nearby tree. The atmosphere was thick enough to choke on.
"So," I said, sliding the phone back into my pocket. "That was Moka."
"I heard," Kurumu muttered, finally looking at me. Her eyes were a mess of emotions—embarrassment, desire, jealousy, and a defiant spark of ownership. "Your worried friend."
She took a step closer, the shyness burning away into something more determined, more succubus. She poked a finger hard against my chest. "This isn't over, Tsukune-kun. You will get your payback in due time. Playing around with a real succubus, and escaping our clutches with your essence still intact…. It's an uncommon event. "
She leaned in, and for a second I thought she'd reclaim that almost-kiss. Instead, her lips brushed my ear, her whisper a hot, promising threat. "I would become a laughingstock if I didn't collect what's mine."
With a final, triumphant flick of her blue hair, she turned and strode toward the school building, her hips swaying with deliberate, confident grace. She left me standing there in the clearing, the ghost of her touch on my skin, the taste of her almost on my lips gave rise to a smirk as if I couldn't help but imagine myself becoming a farmer and taking my plough through fertile lands.
(Kurumu's POV)
The moment I was sure I was out of sight, my legs gave out.
I slumped against the cool brick of the academy wall, then slid all the way down until I was kneeling on the path. My heart was trying to break out of my ribs. Thump-thump-thump-thump. I clutched my chest, fingers digging into the softness of my own breasts, as if I could physically steady the frantic rhythm.
My skin still burned where his hand had been.
'I can't believe it… he almost kissed me. Without me using my Charm or Illusion Spells.'
Just him. Tsukune. Looking at me with those brown, intense eyes that were nothing like his usual gentle self. He felt so hot that I could just melt at his touch. For the first time, the allure was flowing the other way, and my Succubus instincts screamed that Tsukune was the one for me.
A hot, frustrated whine escaped my lips. I buried my face in my hands.
'Ahhhh! Why did I pull away?! Stupid! Idiot! I could have sealed it! One kiss and he'd be mine, mine, MINE! Forget about that annoying, clinging, Moka, it would be me walking Tsukune to class hand-in-hand.'
But even as I thought it, a cold, logical dread doused the fantasy.
'No… no, that's the problem.'
I bit my lip.
'If he's what I think he is… a Vampire of that level… my still low-level Charm Spell would be like a candle against a bonfire. It might not work at all, since previously it worked on Tsukune because he didn't want to hurt me.'
'That's right… He told me not to use any Succubus Abilities on him if I want to have a real chance at his love. If I try my luck, it might backfire in my face, and make Tsukune-kun angry at me.'
The memory of his transformed state replayed in my mind—the crushing pressure, the predatory aura that made the air itself feel heavy. That wasn't just any yokai. That was high-tier. A-tier, minimum. Maybe even… legendary S-tier? The kind only described as belonging to Royal Vampire Clans.
A desperate, conflicted moan caught in my throat. Frustration and a weird, giddy fear twisted together. He was so far out of my league it was laughable. And yet… he'd touched me. He'd looked at me like that.
I hugged myself, a new, wild fantasy spiraling in my head, pushing aside the panic.
'If it's Tsukune…' The thought was a thrilling, sacrilegious idea from her fantasies. 'A man that powerful… it wouldn't be shameful. It would be an honor to serve such a husband.'
My breathing began to slow, a determined, ambitious light replacing the panic in my eyes. A slow smile touched my lips.
'If it's Tsukune, I'm willing to share.' Once the idea shaped up in my head, along with the visual fantasy of being walked to the Love Temple by Tsukune, and him placing a French kiss as he promised he would do back in the infirmary.
I could only contain my squirming, as I got excited by that dream. Even the idea of sharing Tsukune didn't hurt no more.
'Why would it bother me? In the Supernatural World, strong beings had access to more resources and of course, it would sense that we girls would be attracted by the strongest men.'
'My babies with Tsukune would be the strongest Succubus since the first generation of Succubi.'
'He'll for sure want to build a Peerage like the High-Class Devils.'
The word 'Peerage' sent a delicious shiver down my spine.
'I just need to be first. I need to be the most important in his eyes, and be truly loved by him, instead of being desired only for my abilities and body.'
I pressed my hands against my warm cheeks, my imagination painting a glorious, ridiculous future. I'll be the Matriarch. I'll give him strong, beautiful babies, and I'll stand at the center of his world.
Giggling now, half from delirium and half from sheer, audacious hope, I picked myself up off the ground, brushing dirt from my knees and speeding up a bit .
Okay. New plan. I will hold down the direct seduction tactics, and instead try to act as myself around him. This way, he can love me for the real me, instead of what I want to portray in his mind and dream.
(Tsukune's POV)
The classroom chatter died to a murmur as I slipped through the door. All eyes were on me for a second—the guy who'd sauntered in just under the wire. I offered a general, apologetic nod to the room before making a beeline for my seat.
No such luck.
"Aono-kun." Shizuka-sensei's voice, sweet as syrup, pinned me in place before I'd taken three steps. She glided over, her teacher's smile in place. "Good morning. Or should I say, just-in-time morning?"
"Morning, Sensei. Sorry, I—"
"Tut-tut. A young man's appearance is his first resume," she chided, not unkindly. Her hands came up, deftly straightening my crooked tie and smoothing my rumpled collar. It was a maternal gesture, but my newly-heightened senses screamed otherwise.
As she leaned in, I caught it—a subtle, almost imperceptible flare of her nostrils. Her usual, perpetually closed eyes snapped open for a split second, revealing gleaming golden irises with vertical slits, the eyes of a Nekomata.
[Insert Image]
She was sniffing me, and I guess she quickly figured out that I was a lying mess. Taking in the scents of forest, ozone, Kurumu's perfume, and the newfound Yoki that I started to bloom in power.
She saw me notice. Her cat-eyes crinkled at the corners, a silent acknowledgment, before her lids slid shut again. "Appearance is key to blending in, you see. We must pay attention to the details humans obsess over."
"Thank you for the concern, Sensei," I said, keeping my voice even. "I spaced out walking near the Black Forest and lost track of time. Had to run to make it."
"The Black Forest, hmm? A thoughtful place. Lots of… ambiance." Her smile gained a knowing edge. "Well, do try to be more mindful. And since we're speaking of activities," she continued, her voice lifting to a playful pitch as she finished adjusting my tie with a final pat.
"I hope you'll be exploring the club festival with an open mind. Some clubs offer such unique… insights into school life. The Newspaper Club, for instance, which I have the pleasure of advising, is always looking for sharp-eyed students with a nose for interesting stories." She gave a deliberate, cheeky wink aimed directly at me.
The shameless plug was so bold it looped back around to being impressive. I gave her a faint, wry thumbs-up. "I'll keep it in mind, Sensei."
"See that you do~"
Finally released, I made my way to my desk. Moka was already signaling me urgently, patting the empty seat next to hers. As I slid into the chair, I caught Kurumu, already at her desk across the aisle, stealing a glance.
The moment our eyes met, her face flushed a spectacular shade of crimson and she whipped her head forward, pretending intense interest in her blank notebook.
Moka followed the whole silent exchange. Her beautiful face, which had been lit with relief at my arrival, clouded over with instant, deep suspicion. Her emerald eyes narrowed just a fraction.
[That bastard,]
[His clothes reek of that bewitching succubus. I knew I smelled cheap perfume.]
Outer Moka's lips pursed. She leaned toward me, clearly about to start an interrogation, but was cut off as Shizuka-sensei clapped her hands together at the front of the class.
"Well then, everyone! Now that we're all present," she began, casting a glance my way, "let's begin! I want to remind you all of the Yokai Academy's primary role!"
She launched into her familiar spiel about adaptation, coexistence, and the importance of understanding human customs. The class listened with varying degrees of boredom or interest.
"Just as I've been saying all along," she concluded, her tail swishing energetically behind her, "theoretical knowledge isn't enough! Therefore, starting today, you're all going to take up mandatory club activities!"
A ripple of surprise went through the room.
"We'll gain a deeper understanding of humans by experiencing their structured hobbies! We'll learn teamwork, passion, and dedication—all through human-made activities!"
"To perfect our human forms, we must understand human hearts and habits!"
A hand tentatively went up near the back. It was a scrawny guy with slightly damp-looking hair and a hesitant expression—a D-tier Kawauso, a river otter yokai. "Ummm… Sensei? I have a question."
"Yes, Yamada-kun? Go ahead."
"So, if we're mandated to do club activities to perfect our transformation… does that mean you, Sensei, have, uh… failed? With an F mark?" He pointed his finger at Shizuka's happily swishing golden tail.
The entire room froze. Shizuka-sensei stopped. She looked over her shoulder at her own tail, then back at Yamada. Her sweet smile didn't waver, but the air grew chilly.
"Mya~!"
In a blur of motion almost too fast to follow, she was in front of his desk, leaning over him. "Your eyes must be going bad from your own lousy human form!" she chirped, her hands moving in a playful, yet terrifying, flurry of swipes. Swish-swish-swish!
"Can you see any tail on me now? Nyo~?" Shizuka-sensei asked innocently, tail conspicuously absent. "Then you shouldn't badmouth your cute Sensei! Understood?"
"Ack! Sensei! I'm sorry! I take it back!"
When she stepped away, Yamada-kun was left with a face full of faint, pink claw marks, like a cartoon cat scratch victim. Shizuka held up her hands, now perfectly human and innocent-looking.
She turned back to the class, all smiles again. "Everyone understands the assignment, yes? You will participate! To help you choose, the Student Council and faculty are hosting a Club Festival for all freshmen! You'll have the chance to visit many clubs, see demonstrations, and decide which one sparks your interest!"
She clasped her hands together, her enthusiasm palpable. "So please, visit lots of booths! Find a club that calls to you!"
She cleared her throat, and her gaze swept the room, landing pointedly on my section again. "Ahem. And do be sure to visit the Newspaper Club booth that I advise! We offer unique… perspectives!" She finished with another wink, this one aimed like a targeted missile in my direction.
I just nodded, keeping my expression neutral. A club festival, huh? Sounded like a perfect place to observe more yokai and maybe get a glimpse of Kuyo or Hokuto.
As the chatter broke out again, I could feel two distinct pressures on me, one was obviously Moka's suspicious eyes and and the occasional, feverish glance from a certain blushing succubus across the aisle.
'Club festival,' I mused. 'This should be interesting.'