Alright, this is the next step in Kanjuro's preparation for the sacrificial ritual, showing how he carefully selects and lures his next target:
Leaving the Nurses Office, the trace of complex emotion on Kanjuro's face vanished like a drop of water falling into a desert, instantly replaced by his usual all-controlling indifference. Sacrifices required pure souls and special spirituality. Imari Kurumi was the core sacrifice used to sustain Kitami's life, but some auxiliary rites and power guidance still required other "materials."
Instead of returning to his classroom, he headed straight for the Principal's Office. Knocking on the door, he found a woman inside who still possessed charm and a capable aura—Principal Morimoto Reina. When she saw Kanjuro, the ice on her serious face instantly melted, and her eyes shimmered with a mixture of awe, infatuation, and absolute obedience.
"Lord Kanjuro, you've come." She stood up, her posture respectful.
Kanjuro nodded slightly and stated his purpose directly: "Rena, give me the rosters and basic information of all the second-year students, especially those who show a strong interest in the supernatural or occult."
"Yes, please wait a moment." Morimoto Reina had no questions and immediately took out an organized list from the filing cabinet, presenting it with both hands. As one of the women Kanjuro had "collected" early on and implanted with thoughts of loyalty, she managed the school and was more than willing to provide him with every convenience.
Kanjuro scanned the list quickly, his gaze like a scanner filtering out useless information. Finally, his finger stopped on a name—Saeki Kaori. The note read: Active in the Occult Research Club, frequently borrows books related to occultism, has applied multiple times to the Library to access restricted documents.
(Interested in the supernatural... with abundant curiosity, she's exactly the type that's easiest to lead.) A cold arc curved at the corner of Kanjuro's mouth.
In a quiet corner of the Library that afternoon.
Saeki Kaori was buried in a pile of books about ancient symbols and urban legends, her brow furrowed as if she were searching for some elusive answer. She was a girl who seemed somewhat introverted, but her eyes sparkled with a thirst for knowledge.
Just then, a figure sat down in the seat across from her. Saeki Kaori looked up subconsciously and couldn't help but be stunned when she saw who it was. It was Kanjuro, the mysterious and dazzling figure in the school. Why would he come here?
Kanjuro gave her a flawless, gentle, and charming smile, as if it could dispel all gloom. "Classmate Saeki, right? I often see you here researching these interesting things."
Saeki Kaori was somewhat flattered, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Y-yes, Kanjuro-kun. You... are you interested in these too?"
"I know a thing or two." Kanjuro spoke humbly, his gaze falling on the books spread out before her. Then, as if remembering something, he took a thick book from his bag (actually retrieved from the eternal night treasury). It was quaintly bound with a deep black cover that had no text, yet it faintly emitted a weak but definitely present, unsettling magical fluctuation.
He gently pushed the book in front of Saeki Kaori.
"This is..." Saeki Kaori looked curiously at this book she had never seen before. The material of the cover and the faint aura it emitted made her heart race for some reason.
"A very interesting book," Kanjuro's voice carried a guiding sense of mystery, "I found it by chance in... well, an abandoned place like an underground laboratory. The contents recorded inside are very profound and seem to involve some ancient power systems." He paused, observing the interest that instantly lit up Saeki Kaori's eyes, and continued, "Unfortunately, my personal research in this area isn't deep, and there are many parts I don't understand, nor do I know how to'study' it. I heard that Classmate Saeki, you are very good at this, so I wonder... could you help me take a look?"
This book was precisely a "pseudo-dark bible" that Kanjuro had created out of thin air using the authority of the Gospel of Mark combined with fragmented knowledge of the dark bible. It contained a bit of real, low-level dark magic, enough for someone with keen perception to sense its extraordinary nature. However, the so-called "sacrificial ritual to communicate with higher beings and gain wisdom" recorded at its core was a trap leading to destruction, meticulously woven by Kanjuro. Except for the fact that the ritual itself required a sacrifice (Saeki Kaori herself), which was real and fatal, all other promises regarding power and knowledge were false illusions.
Saeki Kaori cautiously took the book. The moment her fingertips touched the cover, that cold and alluring magic made her whole body shudder, followed by immense excitement. She could feel it! This book was real! It contained incredible secrets!
"underground laboratory... ancient power..." she murmured to herself, her eyes shining with an intense light of desire. She thought of the scattered rumors circulating in the school about certain mysterious events and disappearances eighteen years ago, those sealed files, those vague records... could they all be related to this book?
A strong thirst for knowledge and the urge to peek into secrets made her almost unable to contain herself. She hugged the book tightly and looked up eagerly at Kanjuro. "Kanjuro-kun! This book... can you lend this book to me to study? I will definitely find out its secrets!" She even subconsciously wanted to take the book away directly.
Kanjuro, however, reached out at the right moment and gently pressed down on the other end of the book. His face still wore a gentle smile, but his eyes grew deep, carrying a hint of the unquestionable.
"Classmate Saeki, don't be in such a hurry." His voice lowered a few notches. "This book... is very dangerous and very valuable. I can't just give it to anyone." Seeing Saeki Kaori's expression instantly turn anxious and disappointed, he changed the subject. "However, if you really want to study it, it's not impossible. But... there are conditions."
"Conditions? What conditions?" Saeki Kaori asked impatiently. To obtain this "scripture" that clearly contained supernatural power, she was willing to pay a lot.
"Conditions? What conditions?" Saeki Kaori asked impatiently. To obtain this "scripture" that clearly contained supernatural power, she was willing to pay a lot.
Kanjuro leaned forward slightly, his gaze roaming over her face with a mixture of assessment and temptation. His voice dropped even lower, full of suggestion: "The condition is... to go out with me once, for example, a date. And..." He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over her body as if by chance, his unfinished words full of ambiguous hints, "...let me see your'sincerity'."
Saeki Kaori was stunned at first, but a blush quickly spread across her face. She wasn't as naive as Imari; she had long heard of Kanjuro's playboy reputation at school and the many exceptional women surrounding him. She understood perfectly what he meant by "sincerity." After a brief moment of shyness, her intense pragmatism and desire for that "magic book" quickly took the upper hand.
She looked up, and instead of backing down, she met Kanjuro's gaze. A flash of determination and a borderline fawning light flickered in her eyes, and her voice took on a deliberate, delicate softness: "So Lord Kanjuro wants that... Of course I understand." She even leaned in a bit closer, her breath like orchids, "If Lord Kanjuro doesn't mind, I... I am available at any time. After all, who knows how many girls in school dream of becoming Lord Kanjuro's woman?"
Her directness and boldness, carrying a hint of sacrificial fanaticism, made Kanjuro burst out laughing. His laughter held undisguised satisfaction and mockery. (Truly... she's even more cooperative than I imagined. This posture of being willing to give up everything for her goals makes her the perfect sacrifice.)
"Very well." Kanjuro nodded and stood up. "In that case, are you free right now? Come take a walk with me to the shopping district."
"Of course I'm free!" Saeki Kaori immediately picked up that pseudo-avalon as if it were a priceless treasure. She stood up quickly and followed closely by Kanjuro's side, her face beaming with excitement and a look of total determination.
The shopping district was bustling with people in the afternoon. Kanjuro and Saeki Kaori walked side-by-side. Saeki deliberately acted very intimate, occasionally taking Kanjuro's arm and pressing her body against him, as if to announce their "special relationship" to everyone. Kanjuro let her do as she pleased, a faint, inscrutable smile playing on his lips.
Fate (or rather, Kanjuro's meticulous calculation) was just that coincidental. In front of a boutique window, they ran into Imari Kurumi, who was wandering alone, hoping to buy something to cheer herself up.
The smile on Imari's face froze the moment she saw Kanjuro and Saeki Kaori clinging to him. The shopping bag in her hand almost slipped; her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand. Bitterness, shock, and the pain of betrayal instantly overwhelmed her. The man who had just confessed his deep feelings to her yesterday and possessed her everything was out on such an intimate date with another girl today?
"Ye... Mr. Kanjuro?" Her voice trembled.
Seeing Imari, Kanjuro's face appropriately showed a hint of "surprise," which then melted into a gentle yet distant smile: "It's Imari. What a coincidence."
Saeki Kaori looked at this girl who clearly had an unusual relationship with Kanjuro. Seeing Imari's devastated expression, a twisted sense of superiority and a desire to show off surged within her. Without waiting for Kanjuro to introduce them, she squeezed his arm even harder, practically hanging her whole body off him, and flashed a provocative, sweet smile:
"Oh my, Lord Kanjuro, who is this?" she asked, feigning innocence. Then, without waiting for an answer, she continued on her own, "I am Saeki Kaori, and I'm on a date with Lord Kanjuro~ Lord Kanjuro is the best to me; he just promised to teach me a lot of...'special' knowledge." She deliberately emphasized the words "date" and "special," her eyes full of intent to mark her territory.
Watching Saeki Kaori's intimate posture and hearing her provocative words, Imari's face turned pale. Her lips trembled slightly, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Mr. Kanjuro... Is... is what she's saying true? Are you... on a date?"
Looking at Imari's hurt expression, Kanjuro felt no ripples in his heart; he even found the scene quite amusing. He needed Imari to maintain a certain sense of "crisis" and "jealousy." That way, when she was finally sacrificed, the light of her soul generated by "love" would burst forth with even greater dark power amidst extreme pain and despair.
He didn't answer Imari's question directly, merely saying flatly to Saeki Kaori, "Kaori, don't be like that." There wasn't much real reproach in his tone; it sounded more like indulgence.
Then he said to Imari, "Imari, don't overthink it. I'm just discussing some... academic issues with Saeki-san." This hollow explanation seemed utterly laughable in the face of Saeki Kaori's obvious intimacy.
Saeki Kaori shot Imari a triumphant glance, as if to say, "See? Lord Kanjuro is protecting me."
Imari could no longer bear the scene. She gave Kanjuro a deep look—one filled with heartbreak, confusion, and a hint of anger at being deceived—then suddenly turned, covered her face, and ran away.
Kanjuro watched Imari's fleeing back, his gaze calm and undisturbed.
Saeki Kaori, however, felt as if she had won a battle. Snuggling against Kanjuro, she said coquettishly, "Lord Kanjuro, that girl seems to really like you~ But she doesn't seem to understand the rules. Only someone like me, who is willing to give everything for you, is worthy of standing by your side, right?"
Kanjuro looked down at her, seeing the undisguised ambition and desire in her eyes. He smiled softly and reached out to stroke her hair, as if petting an obedient animal.
"You're right, Kaori.'Sincerity'... is what matters most."
He had successfully brought the two sacrifices together and planted the seeds of jealousy and competition. Imari's pain would make her more dependent on him, while Saeki Kaori's vanity and ambition would lead her deeper onto the altar. Everything was steadily progressing toward the dark conclusion he had preordained. This date was nothing more than another brilliant scene in a play he was directing. That jarring scene in the shopping district was not only witnessed by the hurt eyes of Imari Kurumi, but was also taken in by a figure hidden in the crowd in the distance—Reika Kitami. She watched Kanjuro and Saeki Kaori's feigned intimacy and Imari's heartbroken departure. Her pale fingers tightly gripped the hem of her clothes, her eyes filled with complex emotions: anger, helplessness, and a deep sense of worry.
(He's starting again... repeating the same old tricks... using false warmth and desire to lure innocent souls toward destruction...)
She could no longer sit idly by. Even though Kanjuro had warned her, and even though she herself was barely hanging on, she couldn't stand to watch another girl—especially one with such pure spirituality as Imari—follow in her footsteps.
Reika Kitami quietly followed the distraught Imari Kurumi and intercepted her in a relatively quiet corner of a central park.
"Imari-san."
Imari Kurumi looked up. Seeing it was Ms. Kitami through her teary eyes, she was somewhat surprised and hurried to wipe her tears: "Ms... Ms. Kitami..."
Reika Kitami looked at her swollen eyes and pale face with pity, but her tone was unusually serious and direct: "Leave Kanjuro. Immediately, now. If you can, it's best to leave this school and transfer somewhere else."
Imari was stunned, completely not expecting Ms. Kitami to say such things. She subconsciously defended Kanjuro: "Ms. Kitami? Why? What... what do you mean? Mr. Kanjuro, he..."
"He is toying with your feelings, Imari-san!" Reika Kitami interrupted her, her voice carrying a hint of imperceptible urgency and heartache. "That girl you saw, Saeki Kaori, is just his next target. Every word he says to you, every thing he does, has a purpose! He is not the kind of person you think he is!"
"No! That's not true!" Imari shook her head violently, as if trying to shake off those terrible words. Her eyes were filled with stubborn trust. "Mr. Kanjuro wouldn't do that! He saved me! He even got hurt to protect me! He likes me! He told me so himself!"
She recalled Kanjuro's back as he shielded her in the woods, his heroic figure as he eliminated monsters late at night, and the look in his eyes during his deep confession... These memories were like a solid fortress, guarding her faith in Kanjuro.
"He was with Saeki-san today, surely... surely he has his reasons!" Imari struggled to find an excuse, trying to rationalize what she had just seen. "Maybe... maybe they really were discussing some important academic issue? Saeki-san was already very interested in the occult... Mr. Kanjuro is so amazing, it's normal for him to give a classmate some guidance..."
Her voice grew smaller and smaller. Even she felt the explanation was hollow, but she would rather believe that than Ms. Kitami's words.
Reika Kitami looked at Imari's overflowing, blind, and fervent trust, and a huge sense of powerlessness welled up in her heart. She knew this feeling all too well; back then, she too had been deceived by the illusions he wove, only seeing the truth once she was pushed into the abyss.
"Imari..." Reika Kitami's voice carried a hint of weary hoarseness. "Some truths are far more cruel than they appear. Kanjuro... the power he possesses and his true nature are beyond your imagination. Getting close to him will only end with you being devoured until nothing is left. Take my advice, leave him while there's still time."
---------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the story has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 chapters in advance over on my Patreon: patreon.com/TLHimejima1
Every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone and let me know.