"Sit on my lap for the entire lunch break."
Horikita's face turned blank before morphing into unprecedented fury.
"You're crazy!" She turned around and started leaving.
Tatsuya watched her leave quietly and smiled, "I guess you're fine with your brother hearing the rumours."
Horikita flinched and paused in her footsteps.
Tatsuya let out an evil chuckle. It was so much fun to exploit other people's weaknesses like this.
Horikita's face twisted with complex emotions.
To let her brother think that she was a despicable individual or endure the humiliation.
Time ticked, second by second.
The wind rustled her hair and gave her a refreshing feeling. Amongst the chirping birds and the gentle sunlight Horikita was faced with a difficult situation.
To agree or not agree?
With a frustrated expression, she turned around, "Change the condition. I won't sit on your lap." She forcefully calmed herself.
"Na na," Tatsuya shook his finger like a pendulum, "Either you sit on my lap or I'll boost the rumours in whatever way possible."
"You...!" Horikita was understandably frustrated. Just what sin had she committed? Why did she have to endure such torture?
She wished she could just grab a knife and stab him to death.
"I'll give you 5 seconds, your choice."
"What?" Shocked by the sudden declaration Horikita wanted to argue back back but—
"1"
Tatsuya ignored her.
"2"
What should I do? What should I do?
Horikita was now put under pressure. Before there was just a chance that her brother would learn the rumors but now she was being threatened by Tatsuya.
"3"
Only 2 seconds were left.
What to do!?
"1"
Horikita took a deep breath.
"Your time is up—"
"Alright."
Horikita's calm voice reached Tatsuya and he was surprised. Why was she so calm all of a sudden?
"Are you sure?" He asked back in confusion.
He had only given her vague pressure but not any direct threat. She could definitely refuse and even if Horikita's brother heard the rumours he would discard it.
He knew his sister's character. Doesn't Horikita know what her brother would think? Was the relationship between the siblings so broken?
"Yes. But I also have a condition." She said and her crimson eyes glistened, her beautiful body illuminated by the sunlight.
There was a certain helplessness in her demeanour that made Tatsuya feel affection for her.
"Alright."
"You can't touch me, I'll sit on your lap quietly for the entire lunch break but you won't force me to talk with you or touch me in any way."
"Oh..." Tatsuya muttered and put on a thoughtful expression.
"But I want to hug you." He said and Horikita tilted her head in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"What do you mean by 'what do you mean?'" Tatsuya was dumbfounded, "I mean when you sit on my lap I'll uh... I guess wrap my hands around your waist or stomach. Something like that." Tatsuya explained.
"Huh? No way!" Horikita refused instantly.
"C'mon, I definitely won't move! Trust me!"
"Never, I don't trust you."
"Just once!" Tatsuya pleaded with sincere eyes and Horikita frowned.
She visualised the image and looked at her stomach before looking back at Tatsuya. She did this a few times before sighing.
"Alright."
Tatsuya's eyes lit up and he shifted a bit making space for her. A disgusted expression found its way to her face and with light steps, she stood in front of Tatsuya.
She turned around Tatsuya sneaked a peek at her underwear before shifting his gaze as Horikita lowered herself and settled down.
"Hmm," he hummed and extended his hands wrapping them around her flat stomach. He tightened them a bit much to Horikita's displeasure.
"The second you move your hands I'll stab you with my compass!" She pulled a compass out of her pocket much to Tatsuya's shock.
"Why the fuck do you have a compass in your pockets?" He asked with an incredulous expression.
Perhaps pleased by his shock she answered, "I keep it to deal with perverts like you."
Tatsuya deadpanned.
Horikita felt her position was a bit uncomfortable and nestled a bit before finding the perfect spot. Tatsuya widened his legs a bit allowing her more comfort and Horikita nodded with satisfaction.
It was good that Tatsuya chose a spot where if someone came she could immediately jump up and at most it'll appear as if she's having a talk with him.
Otherwise there was zero chance she agreed.
Now she just had to ignore the fact she was sitting in her enemy's lap and the rumours about her should be dealt with swiftly.
She didn't really care if the class believed Tatsuya or not but as long as Tatsuya himself confirmed that nothing was going on between her and him it would be easy to convince her brother.
Tatsuya didn't care about her silence and felt a rare sense of peace. He rested his chin on her shoulder and Horikita frowned.
But seeing that he didn't move she remained silent and closed her eyes.
But as if remembering something Horikita opened her eyes.
"Why was Ichinose-san so angry with you?"
Tatsuya who had his chin on her shoulder whispered into her ear softly, "I don't know."
Horikita shuddered hearing his soft voice and turned silent in anger. "Alright, keep on being quiet."
Tatsuya smiled wrly and lifted his head before leaning back on the wall, gazing at the sky.
"I really don't know. I actually didn't do anything to Shobata or whoever it is."
"Shibata-kun," Horikita corrected him and frowned, "So why was he crying your name with such a terrified expression?"
"I'm just as confused as you okay?"
"Then why were you silent when Ichinose-san was questioning you? Why not tell her you're innocent?"
"I was silent because I was confused but I kept silent because I might be able to use this against Ichinose in the class battles. While I don't know what happened to Shibata it's fine as long as Ichinose believes I did something. Also, because I didn't know what happened it was better to stay silent."
Tatsuya's lengthy speech left Horikita stunned.
"Why does your mind work so wickedly?"
"It's called cunning, idiot." Tatsuya rolled his eyes.
How was he wicked? He was just a normal high schooler!
"Hmph!" Horikita didn't answer and turned silent once again. A few minutes passed and her heart started racing, it was a bit awkward to sit on someone's lap like this.
But what made her feel more weird was that it felt somewhat peaceful and comforting.
Must be an illusion.
There were 25 more minutes till the Lunch Break ended and Horikita felt anxious.
"What if someone comes to the rooftop?"
"Nah, don't worry. I come here every day, no one comes here at all."
"Huh? Why?" Horikita was puzzled. Rooftops were a popular hangout spot after all.
Tatsuya moved one hand and pulled something out of his pocket before dropping it in front of her.
Clang!
Looking at the dropped key Horikta turned her and looked at him with cute confusion.
Tatsuya had a proud expression as he explained.
"This rooftop is always locked so it's obvious why no one will come here. It's our private hangout."
Horikita was speechless.
She wanted to say something but promptly closed her lips. There was no point in asking why he had the key.
"Oh," she went silent.
But Horikita was slowly starting to regret agreeing to this condition. Her body was feeling weird and she felt itchy all over unlike the calm Tatsuya.
Seeing him peacefully sitting and staring at the sky Horikita wondered if she was the only one that felt like this.
Faithful to his words his hands had not left her stomach for a second. The warmth emanating from him almost made her relax.
Keyword 'almost'.
Yamamoto Tatsuya...
Horikita scoffed inwardly and tried to remove the distracting thoughts in her mind but no matter how much she tried one question continued to linger.
"Is it really love?" She asked skeptically and she felt his body flinch for a brief second. Minute reactions like these can't be false. It would take a terrifying level of control over the body to fake such things.
She had asked the right question.
Tatsuya answered after a few seconds of silence, "No."
"Then why? Why can't you just leave me alone?"
"I can't afford to."
Horikita's mind went blank for a split second before she showed a look of confusion. She couldn't see his face but neither could he see hers.
"Do you know the Yamamoto Family?"
Horikita frowned before shaking her head.
"It's okay. I'll tell you. We're a prestigious family with many members in high echelons of the Government. As a proud member of it, I was expected of nothing but brilliance..." His voice was soft and mellow different from his usual confidence.
It was as if he was talking about something he wanted to forget.
"What do you think Suzune, am I brilliant?" He suddenly asked but Horikita didn't answer.
Yet, her silence conveyed what she thought.
"In the pursuit of perfection, I've neglected many things in my life and one of them was—"
Horikita briefly turned her head only to see a glimpse of melancholy in his eyes.
"My own sister."
"What happened?" Horikita subconsciously asked. It wasn't that she wanted to pry into his life but the way he was narrating it made her ask nonetheless.
"She tried to become like me. Disregarding everything else, seeing everyone beneath me. If they couldn't compare to me she wouldn't even spare them a single glance."
Tatsuya didn't need to imagine what Horikita's face was like at this moment. It was surely one of unbridled shock.
The sharp Horikita instantly realised what was going on.
Such a coincidence... It can't be...
She thought.
"Remember when we argued in the cafe? I heard you say something like you've been alone for almost a decade and don't mind it."
Tatsuya laughed bitterly, "Is it really like that?" He whispered as if talking to himself.
Shaking his head he continued,
"The resemblance you bear to my sister is eerie. I can't help but be drawn to you. If I don't, I feel like I'll lose the last chance to make things right. In pursuit of my own perfection, I had ignored her much like Manabu did to you. I was wrong... So wrong."
"Your sister..." Horikita keenly noticed something was wrong with his wording.
"She passed away, a chronic illness."
Deathly silence filled the rooftop as Horikita tightly pursed her lips. Her emotions were like a rollercoaster. She hadn't dealt with such emotions, such conversations.
She wanted to console him but she couldn't even pick the right words.
"She was weak from birth but she stubbornly tried to imitate me. Do you know, I once told my sister that I liked girls who kept their hair loose as a joke." He laughed silently, "My sister who always liked to keep her hair in a ponytail never kept a ponytail after that... By the time I realised the level of her obsession, it was too late."
Horikita who had been listening to him vent froze hearing his words. She realised something from his words, his words were like a thunderclap in her ears, banging against her relentlessly.
She realised the meaning behind his words.
He...
He wasn't just sharing his story with her.
He was enlightening her. He was giving her the answer she had searched for so long.
Horikita's heart started racing.
Before she could calm herself or say anything she felt a hand stroke her head gently. The action was so subtle and soft that she was stunned in place.
Tatsuya lifted her much to her surprise and placed her beside him.
He got up while dusting his pants.
"I'll see you later in class. Ah, also don't worry, I won't irritate you any longer. I'll try to deal with the rumours."
Horikita who was like a confused doll watched him leave quietly. His usually proud back seemed to give off a sense of loneliness, a sense of detachment.
He closed the door and left leaving her alone on the rooftop. Horikita looked at the key lying in front of her and silently enjoyed the breeze.
The cold air brushed against her and caused her hair to flutter.
She raised her fair and soft hand before gently stroking her long glossy black hair. A wave of emotions flashed through her eyes as she sighed.
"I understand now... I understand..."
...
Tatsuya who was walking down the stairs noticed the quiet surroundings.
There wasn't a hint of any sound.
Such serene peace soothed his heart.
He pondered over the conversation he had with Horikita just now.
The proud and arrogant Tatsuya felt despicable. Despite the whole story he fabricated being false there was one truth hidden.
To think he'd fall so low.
A sad but bitter smile flashed across his gorgeous features.
"Emily..." He whispered and shook his head before leaving.
Things of the past... there was no need to mention it now.
Those who had to leave would leave regardless of how much you struggled. Since it was destined why fight against it?
The weak had no right to protest.
Though...
Fighting against destiny?
It was interesting...
****
With mixed feelings, Horikita returned to the class and silently sat down in her seat.
"Is everything alright?" Ayanokouji asked all of a sudden and Horikita was surprised.
"Do I appear otherwise?" Horikita asked back.
"You seem out of it."
Hearing that Horikita was about to retort but ultimately decided not to.
"Maybe, I'm fine though. Nothing to worry about." She said and took out a book from her bag.
Ayanokouji, seemingly losing interest, replied, "If you say so..." And turned to look outside of the window.
...
She tried to distract herself.
That was the plan.
But in the end, her mind would wander back to the conversation she just had. The warmth that made her feel relaxed and the vulnerability he showed for the first time.
Not to anyone else... but her.
The human heart was the most predictable yet unpredictable thing in the world. In simpler words, it was as complex as it was simple.
Horikita didn't realise it but the hatred and disgust she had for Tatsuya were long gone, instead inexplicable emotions rose.
At this moment the door slid open and a student walked in. Such a trivial thing was not worth attention unless it was one of your friends.
Yet the low murmurs that erupted in the class told Horikita who had come even without raising her head.
Just like he promised, he instantly went up to the podium of the class and announced that Horikita had nothing to do with his plans and that she wasn't worth working with.
He also said that the reason he called for her in the night was to gather some information regarding her brother, the Student Council President.
Upon knowing that she was the Student Council President's younger sister a few astonished gazes flashed towards Horikita.
But the girl in question was like a stone sculpture, not moving her head from the book she was reading. As if whatever was happening in class had nothing to do with her.
The faint sounds of her flipping the pages over rustled in the class and Tatsuya finished his declaration before moving back into his seat.
Whether the class believed him or not was unknown.
...
She stared at herself in the mirror quietly before making a decision.
It was 5:30 pm.
The time of appointment was 5:45 pm.
Her eyes were full of resolve and they shone brightly.
It was time to change things.
...
Elsewhere.
"Nagumo," Manabu said coldly as he stared at the blonde youth in front of him.
Nagumo who was called by the Student Council President for no apparent reason was surprised.
"You seem to be angry, Kaicho?" Nagumo smiled with a puzzled expression but his expression changed as a hand flashed past his eyes and wrapped around his neck.
Bang!
His back collided with a wall and his expression changed into one of surprise. Yet he remained unmoved and silently stared at the furious Elder Horikita.
"I told you to keep your distance from him. Did you not understand?"
"I'm perplexed. I don't seem to have done what you're accusing me of."
"You think I'm blind, Nagumo?"
Nagumo was going to retort but the grip on his neck was getting tighter. He glanced at the camera on the wall and fell into thought.
Soon he decided there was no point in continuing this farce.
"You're misunderstanding. I don't intend to do anything drastic, you could just see it as me satisfying my curiosity."
Manabu loosened his grip and Nagumo rubbed his neck. "You're quite heavy-handed." He joked but Manabu wasn't in the mood to jest.
"The saying 'Curiosity killed the cat' isn't without reason. Don't overstep your bounds, he's not someone we need to concern ourselves with. Your actions will not only harm you but others as well."
Nagumo suddenly understood what happened.
He's worried about his sister.
He thought and an amused smile surfaced on his face.
Manabu frowned but ignored him walking back to his seat.
His behaviour was pissing Nagumo off. This was not the man he admired.
He lost his smile and asked, "Are you planning to leave it all to mere luck? Spending day by day hoping nothing wrong happens?"
"Since when have you become so foolish, Nagumo?" Manabu sighed, understanding the disappointment of his one-year-young admirer and self-proclaimed rival, "It's not that I'm leaving it to chance but that I don't have any other choice!"
Nagumo's face darkened and he wanted to retort but to be honest he was indeed being a bit impulsive.
"You don't have to worry Kaicho, I only intend to talk with him for a bit. I'm a bit curious about him." Nagumo said so but the subtle intent in his words was accurately understood by Elder Horikita.
His eyes narrowed to pin size and he didn't dare look around, acting normal. He realised the implication of Nagumo's words.
An invisible enemy could be anywhere...
It was truly a dire situation.
"He's not here Kaichou, he's currently talking with one of his 'friends' in Pallet Cafe."
"I see. I guess I was worrying too much." Manabu said before rubbing his eyes. Nagumo noticed the dark circles but he couldn't understand one thing.
"If you're so worried about her why don't you have her forcefully removed from the school?"
It was certainly odd. If he cared so much about his sister then why not instruct her to leave? And even if she refused there were several methods to forcefully have her expelled.
Manabu was well aware of Nagumo's thought process but he could tell he wasn't mature enough.
He didn't blame him. Nagumo's plan of controlling the entire second year was still in motion. Nagumo still had a few faults that would take some more time to fix.
Not to mention he was obsessively engrossed in some kind of 'OAA' application. He wasn't aware of the details but if Nagumo's appeal to the school was approved then it would surely bring some major changes to the school.
"That wouldn't accomplish anything. If he has any kind of plans for my sister then forcefully interfering might just unnecessarily anger him." A glint flashed through his eyes, "Whether that plan exists or not, whether that plan is harmful or beneficial, it is yet to be seen. We can only move slowly and watch silently."
Nagumo fell silent hearing the grim tone of his senior.
They were akin to trapped insects in a spider's web, with any vain attempt to break free risking the awakening of the dormant spider, ready to devour them.
They could only hope that the spider wouldn't pay attention to them and leave, ignoring them as if they didn't exist.
A single ripple might bring about unforeseen consequences.
Since the bugs were unaware if the spider was malicious or benevolent—
They could only squirm silently.
-x-X-x-
Just as Nagumo was about to say something Manabu's phone buzzed and a puzzled look flashed across his eyes.
His phone was on 'Do Not Disturb' and only a few specific people could contact him while it was on.
He checked the message he received and fell silent.
"Who is it?" Nagumo asked curiously.
"None of your concern. I have something to do so I'll leave." Manabu got up and left Nagumo alone in the Student Council Room.
Nagumo didn't argue and just watched the Elder Horikita leave.
"Your thought process is so rigid, Kaicho. Maybe that's why your relationship with your sister is so distorted..." Nagumo muttered to himself and raised his hand, silently staring at his empty palm.
"What you see is only the unfortunate consequences but what I see is the opportunity to break free!"
His eyes were full of fiery passion, an expression he rarely showed.
...
Manabu headed towards the 1st year's dorms with a head full of jumbled thoughts.
Suzune, Yamamoto, Nagumo, and himself.
An inevitable circle of relation had formed between them.
A very dangerous circle.
It wasn't like he could keep Nagumo on a leash, all he could do was advise him. Ignoring the eyes of the juniors who looked at him with admiration he entered the lift and pressed the button for the 13th floor.
Suzune had messaged him, saying she wanted to meet. It was 6:15 pm and Manabu decided to give her 10-15 minutes to speak her mind. If she wasn't going to talk about anything meaningful then he would leave early.
As simple as that.
As the Student Council President he had no time to waste, especially when graduation was near.
He soon reached his destination and knocked on the door. Immediately the sound of flustered footsteps entered his ears and he couldn't help but smile bitterly yet the disappointment he held squashed those tender feelings.
It took more than a minute before the knob turned and the door opened.
"Nii-san..." Suzune muttered yet Manabu was frozen in place, sporting a blank look. Suzune grew a bit flustered and repeated herself, "Nii-san."
Her call shook the usually calm Elder Horikita out of his reverie and he walked in with an inexplicable expression.
"I'm sorry for calling on such short notice!" Suzune apologised after she closed the door and Manabu stared at his nervous sister with gentle eyes.
The cold and distant look gone.
"You've... Changed." He muttered and Horikita was stunned.
"I've changed?" She asked back and Manabu frowned before shaking his head.
"Let me rephrase... You've returned to your own self Suzune." Manabu eyed Suzune's short hair.
(Image in paragraph comment above, as well as in the chapter comments)
Suzune's face contorted into one of guilt.
"So many years have passed. Why couldn't I return to my past self earlier… I've always felt regret over that."
"Then what is the current you thinking about now?"
"Honestly, I'd be lying if I didn't say my heart was all over the place right now." She stumbled over her words before adjusting her breathing. "But, the only thing I can say for certain is this. The old me…always, always just followed your shadow, but I'm no longer that person anymore."
"You've certainly given me a surprise, Suzune." Manabu said, "So tell me, have you decided how you'll live in the future? The you, who is no longer chasing my shadow."
"I'll carve my own path. I'll make companions, I'll make allies... I'll make friends. I will no longer mistake isolation as independence." Her gaze was firm and full of resolve. Such a bright light... It couldn't be faked.
Her determination was clear for him to see.
Manabu couldn't help but smile, "Do you know the reason why I've been pushing you away till now?"
Suzune froze for a second before her eyes went blank. Manabu stared at her silently, waiting for her answer.
Suzune involuntarily remembered all of her conversations with Yamamoto Tatsuya. His words had been deeply embedded in her heart, how could she forget? How could she not know the answer?
"I've always chased your shadow but that wasn't what you wanted. I might sound presumptuous but if I'm not wrong you saw potential in me, potential to surpass you." Suzune took a deep breath, "You were disappointed that I set the bar at you. That I limited myself to you. What you want for me is to surpass you. That is what I believe. Tell me Nii-san, am I wrong!?"
She raised her head and deeply stared at her brother, the brother she admired for most of her life.
A soft smile spread across Manabu's face.
He extended his hand and under Suzune's astonished gaze, patted her head softly.
"You're right."
"Do you know, I once told you that I thought you looked better with longer hair? It was a lie I said that to confirm something and much to my disappointment seeing you at this school for the first time I knew you hadn't changed. You were still the lost soul chasing after my illusionary image."
"I'm sorry for lying." Manabu apologised.
Suzune looked shaken, not only because of her brother's sudden apology but also because of how similar his words were to Yamamoto.
"Nii-san, you don't have to apologise," she waved her hands in a fluster before a look of hesitation flashed past her face.
"Say it. There's no need to hesitate around me anymore. I'm glad to have been reunited with Suzune who was lost far back into some corner of my memories. Seeing you like this, it really warms my heart."
Suzune never expected her brother to say such words. She was used to him conversing in only a single sentence or sometimes even a single word. He had never spoken with so much joy before—
No, it wasn't that he had never spoken joyfully to her but that it had been so long that she forgot.
"Nii-san... Did you tell Yamamoto-kun about our relationship?" She was originally not going to use honorifics but that would make her brother confused.
What mattered was that she suspected that she was being played with. Had her brother told these things that he was saying to her to Yamamoto as well?
She was still unaware of the relationship between him and her brother. The nature of their relationship and the weird contract... It was all but one big mystery to her.
Was Yamamoto orchestrating an elaborate lie just to manipulate her?
Suzune felt a chill in her heart as she waited for her brother's answer.
"Yamamoto Tatsuya..."
Manabu muttered before staring at his sister silently.
Suzune paused before answering, "His past is too similar, I couldn't help but suspect something."
"You know his past?" A curious gleam shone in his eyes.
"It happened to come up in a conversation..." She averted her gaze but answered him nonetheless.
Thinking about it, it was definitely impulsive to mention Yamamoto's name to her brother but if she didn't confirm this her relationship with Yamamoto would continue to be full of distrust and misunderstandings.
It's not that Suzune was suddenly developing affection for him but that Yamamoto had been sincerely helping her from the start. and didn't seem to have intentionally antagonised her ever.
The guilt coupled with sympathy for his past naturally made her more inclined to work in favour of him than against him.
Manabu keenly noticed the subtle changes in her expression and body language. A hint of worry flashed through his eyes.
"Tell me about it."
Hearing this Suzune was puzzled.
"You can consider me curious."
Suzune nodded and repeated the words Tatsuya had said to her on the rooftop.
Manabu's expression didn't change as he listened to Suzune narrate his past. If what she was saying was true he felt that he could somewhat understand his behaviour.
At least a little bit.
Sorrowing from losing a loved one can cause so many chain reactions. The death of a loved one, who had not lost someone before? The willpower to not break down depended from individual to individual.
Some people would cease living further while there were people who would go party the next day.
The most common were the ones that grieved for a few weeks before returning to their normal lives.
Considering the way Yamamoto Tatsuya killed the clerk he was sure he didn't take his sister's death well. Overprotectiveness was fine but the act of passing on judgement over someone's life.
That concept itself was dangerous.
Manabu had underestimated the danger he possessed.
Obsessive maniacs, they didn't have good endings.
And this particular maniac had Suzune in his eyes.
Manabu felt his heart tighten as he forced a smile.
"I see. If possible be gentle with him. Losing a loved one is not as easy as you might imagine. Just because he appears nonchalant doesn't mean he's not dealing with trauma of his own."
Suzune nodded. She understood it quite well.
She couldn't imagine losing her brother one day not to mention not even being able to see him one last time.
Just the thought frightened her and a chill passed through her heart.
Soon the siblings moved on and talked about other stuff. So many years had passed, and much was to be talked about.
She was glad she was able to make up with her brother so early on.
She could imagine the scene where she would realise her shortcomings just before her brother was about to graduate.
By that time there would be no time to talk!
She could only thank Tatsuya silently in her heart as she went and made another cup of tea.
She would show her brother how good of a cook she was!
...
In another place.
Tatsuya walked past the quiet hall, admiring the huge shelves of books on each side. The library smelt refreshing and Tatsuya quite liked it.
But too bad the reason he was coming to this library wasn't to read.
After taming one angel it was time to acquire another.
But just as he was about to meet her 'coincidently' he bumped into someone familiar. He was so engrossed in his search that he didn't pay attention to the lock of strawberry blonde hair.
"Ichinose," Tatsuya muttered, noting the minuscule feeling of her boobs colliding against his chest.
"Yamamoto Tatsuya..." The indifference in her voice was so arousing that Tatsuya was about to get hard.
Thankfully he had full control of his body so he didn't pop a raging boner.
"My my, don't you sound angry." He teased her but Ichinose didn't respond. She bowed slightly before leaving and Tatsuya fell silent.
He didn't interrupt her.
The more she acted like this the more fun it would be to break her. This saint, that would sacrifice herself for her class, just how far could he push her?
Every human has a breaking point.
With these thoughts in mind, Tatsuya ignored the gossip around him and continued to search for Hiyori.
A few minutes passed by and he was disappointed.
She wasn't here.
"How unlucky," he whispered to himself before returning to his dorm room.
Feeling a little bored he thought about the [Summoning Card] he got from the previous spin.
"Would the Summoned Character be stronger than me?" He went to the system support centre and asked.
[The strength of the Summoned Being may vary. There is a possibility of being stronger than you.]
Tatsuya frowned when the system seemingly continued on its own.
[But there is no need to fret. The host has full control of the Summoned Character. No matter what you do the Summoned Character cannot go against you.]
"I see..." Tatsuya smiled.
Could it be this system was growing alongside him? Or had it deemed his paranoid nature detrimental? Nonetheless taking the initiative to continue conversing was something new.
Nonetheless–
If the system was ensuring it then why not?
He made a gesture with his hand and a golden card with a luxurious 'S' carved on it appeared.
To use the card he had to just think of it and so he did.
A bright light erupted in his room and Tatsuya continued to look through it, not shielding his eyes like a normal human would.
The bright light condensed into a miniature ring and carved itself on the floor in front of him. It emitted a golden glow as the space inside the ring started distorting.
Space shattered, cracks appeared in the void and the faint howling of another being could be faintly heard.
Just as Tatsuya wanted to listen closely the theatrics disappeared and a person appeared in front of him, looking at him with a blank gaze.
"Who... are you?" A sharp yet childish voice echoed.
Her figure was petite yet exuded an aura of otherworldly elegance.
Cascading locks of verdant hair framed her porcelain visage.
Clad in loose robes, her attire seemed like it would billow and twist with every movement, making it seem like the sweetest temptation known to man.
Her skin, as fair as freshly fallen snow, radiated an otherworldly glow, accentuating the allure she held despite her diminutive stature.
Her emerald eyes gleamed with a fierce look, staring intently at Tatsuya with wariness.
Long lashes sweep over her eyes like the wings of a phoenix, making her mesmerizing. Around her neck, a pendant of iridescent crystal hung.
The mark on the crystal was instantly recognised by Tatsuya.
It was the same mark that appeared on his body after he used the Cuffs of Eternity on Kushida.
Looking at the petite figure Tatsuya instantly recognised her.
Tatsumaki.
-x-X-x-
If someone like Tatsumaki actually appeared in front of him, Tatsuya would become alert and cautious despite the powers he had.
Could he compare to Tatsumaki?
Tatsuya didn't think so, she was one of the strongest S-Rank Heroes in One Punch Man.
But the moment she appeared he felt a connection between him and the legal loli appear.
He was the master of this connection.
"What is this...? Where am I?" Tatsumaki whispered to herself, "Hey you, did you do something? Answer honestly or I'll beat you to a pulp!"
She glared at Tatsuya fiercely but her expression contorted into one of anger and humiliation seeing Tatsuya size her up like a piece of meat.
Her beautiful verdant curly hair started fluttering and she lifted herself from the ground showing an angry look.
Just as she was about to teach Tatsuya a lesson her expression froze. She could no longer move her body!
She was frozen still in the air.
Her expression turned astonished and she tried her best to move. Her Psychic Energy wasn't responding, her muscles betrayed her.
All she felt was the sensation of her heart beating against her chest.
When had she ever felt so powerless?
It was a long, long time ago.
Yet decades later she was once again in a similar situation.
She could only hatefully glare at the culprit.
She hadn't noticed it but his body was well-built and she felt a faint sense of energy revolving around him.
Tatsuya didn't say a word but instead walked closer to her.
She was so beautiful, that barely any of the Classroom of the Elite characters came close to her.
Her skin was like snow, and...
Tatsuya caressed the skin on her thigh and couldn't help but mutter.
"This level of softness... How divine." He walked up close to her and placed his face near her neck before inhaling her scent.
Tatsumaki felt a shiver go down her spine!
Was she captured by some pervert?
"I swear to god if I get the chance I'll kill you! Release me at once idiot! Do you think the Hero Association will let you run?"
While her pride was interfering, Tatsumaki really had no choice but to try and intimidate him using the Hero Association.
Tatsuya paused in his actions and suddenly whispered to himself, "The Hero Association...?"
Seeing that it was working Tatsumaki's racing heart slightly calmed down. Her mind worked quickly and she raced through the possible options she had.
Just as she thought of that the man in front of her let out a low laugh before grabbing her by the collar.
He wrapped something around them and Tatsumaki frowned as a pair of bloody wings erupted behind him.
Despite the sudden appearance of the Bloody Wings, there was no spillage.
Membranous wings with a texture resembling the consistency of blood. Translucent, with veins pulsing through them, giving them an unsettling appearance.
The wings shimmered in the light, casting a crimson hue in their surroundings.
When unfurled, they would glisten like wet satin, dripping with an eerie beauty. With Tatsumaki in hand, he exited his dorm room through the window and with a flap of his wings flew to the sky.
He had been practising well.
Arriving amidst the cloudy skies Tatsumaki felt a sense of unease in her heart.
Suddenly her eyes lit up, and the restraints on her body were no longer there.
A fierce glint flashed through her eyes and just as she was about to erupt with all of her power her body weakened and she was on the verge of crashing down.
What is going on? Even if I were to go against Blast I wouldn't be so powerless. Who the hell is he?
The uneasiness in her heart deepened as the devious man in front of her cast her a mocking look.
Tatsumaki felt her heart burn with rage but she remained quiet.
"This time, take a look at the world. When you're done you'll realise the situation you're in." His charming voice had no other effect on Tatsumaki besides creating a frown.
Just as he said that the restrictions on her body were once again loosened. Tatsumaki did not act rashly but instead used Chi to inspect the surroundings and see how far from the association she really was.
Maybe she could call for reinforcements.
Though it might become embarrassing, escaping this situation took the utmost priority.
Yet to her surprise, she couldn't sense the association at all. No, what's worse was the division of land.
It was clearly different.
Suddenly her body froze and a pair of hands hugged her from behind. The hands slithered around her stomach, clearly molesting her.
Tatsumaki gritted her teeth as her mind was full of confusion. What was going on? Just where was she?
Originally she was hunting a few monsters but her vision blanked and at the next moment she found herself standing in front of this mysterious perverted man.
"What the hell is going on?" She hissed as his hand started softly roaming her body. "Don't touch me! Pervert! Go and die! You're pathetic, all you can do is harass women! You're probably a virgin!"
Seeing his hands pause Tatsumaki's eyes lit up. She herself was a virgin but hey, it was supposed to be more hurtful for guys right?
"Hmm," Tatsuya hummed in agreement, "Indeed, I'm a pitiful virgin."
Tatsumaki scoffed and expressed disdain, inwardly she was even more shocked. A guy like this was actually a virgin? It was quite surprising.
Could it be his creepy personality made girls run away?
But that wouldn't make sense. There would be enough degenerate girls who would still die to get in his bed.
"Hmph, now tell me what's going on." She thought the situation had calmed down and decided to get some information. There were a few theories in her mind but she didn't dare believe them.
All her life, all her accomplishments, all her resolve.
It would all vanish if what she feared was true.
She could only hope it was some kind of Illusion Monster.
Tatsuya narrowed his eyes at her and felt a bit confused. An arrogant girl was one he was used to, Kushida was enough for that.
But against someone like Tatsumaki, how could Kushida compare?
But still, to think she had the guts to question him like this while knowing how powerless she was against him.
"Let's go back to my room, we'll talk there." Tatsuya didn't wait for her response and took control of her body again.
Grabbing her he returned the way he came and threw Tatsumaki on the bed.
Tatsumaki could only silently endure, keeping her rage hidden.
The amount of humiliation she was feeling, unless she beat Tatsuya to a pulp, would not go away.
"You're thinking is correct. This world is no longer the one you used to live in."
His words made her heartbeat accelerate but Tatsumaki frowned.
"Since you brought me here you can send me back as well, right?"
No, he couldn't.
"Of course!" Tatsuya patted his chest and Tatsumaki heaved a sigh of relief.
"Spit it, why did you kidnap me?"
"I needed someone strong to help me with a certain task."
This soothed Tatsumaki's pride but the confusion in her heart grew. She was powerless in front of this man.
What kind of help could he possibly need?
"What help?"
Too bad Tatsumaki had completely forgotten how Tatsuya had sniffed her the moment she arrived.
Tatsuya smiled gently and looked at her lovingly.
Tatsumaki felt a chill go down her spine.
"Help me lose my virginity."
As soon as the words left my mouth the look on her face transformed.
From impatient and angry to dumbfounded.
It was a heartfelt plea.
How could she understand?
This woman was different from the ordinary humans on this planet. With a snap of her fingers, she could kill me, even with my regeneration most I could do was keep being killed.
Ah, how pleasurable it was.
This woman who I would dare not meet with until I was strong enough was now under my full command.
Bullying the weak is pleasurable but you know what's even better?
Bullying the strong.
With just a single thought I could control her entire body.
That wasn't to say I could do anything I wanted.
My control was limited to making her freeze. As long as I will she would become defenseless and lose all control of her body.
At that moment, all it would take would be a single slice to the neck and boom.
The second strongest S Class Hero would perish.
That was the power I currently held.
Ah, how blissful.
Her fair snow-white skin was flushed red with embarrassment as I spoke sincerely.
"You're stupid! Get out of my sight! How could someone as dumb as you exist? Get out! Get out! Get out!" She instantly jumped up and pointed her soft finger towards me.
"You misunderstand me."
I flipped the switch and her body froze once again. Walking up to her I picked her up and sat on the edge of the bed.
Once I sat, I placed her on my lap. I stretched my hand and fixed the awkward positioning of her limbs.
Now her hands were wrapped around my neck as her panty-clad pussy rubbed against my erection.
"I wasn't asking you." I placed my nose against her swan-like neck once again and inhaled slowly, taking her sweet scent in. "I was informing you."
Her face was a mixture of despair and anger. Her cold frosty eyes glared at me with intensity enough to kill me.
If looks could kill I would be dead a thousand times over but that just aroused me more.
I tightly hugged her petite body and caressed her back.
"Wearing such slutty clothes, aren't you asking to be fucked?"
"It's not like that dumbass!"
"Then tell me," I casually looked down on this girl who was a decade older than me.
This girl that could probably destroy this entire city in an instant, I waited for an answer while she was at my mercy.
"..."
Tatsumaki couldn't say it. It was too embarrassing.
"Let me guess, overconfidence? Or maybe you're seeking external validation?" I made a few guesses from her behaviour and traced her cherry-pink lips with my finger.
Calm, I had to stay calm.
Tatsumaki remained silent but I think my guess wasn't far from the truth. There was no concrete reason ever given as to why Tatsumaki wore such slutty clothes.
So, with no information in hand, I could only guess by analysing her behaviour.
Cocky, arrogant and overprotective.
She probably believed no monster could ever trouble her so it didn't matter what she wore. For an Esper like her, I could see how her current clothes were convenient.
And by validation...
Well, it was clear how much she hated being looked down upon, being called a 'child', 'brat' or even 'runt'.
It was just a faint guess but could it really be true?
Did she dress so explicitly to look like an adult?
If that was true then it was probably the most adorable thing ever.
Thinking of this I cupped her soft cheeks and raised her lowered head.
Hmm?
To test something I found suspicious I partially released her restrictions but to my surprise, Tatsumaki didn't try to escape nor did she try to attack me in rage.
Her eyes were still cold, full of hate but there was now calmness in them. Had she realised it was useless to struggle?
"What is this? Quite the change in behaviour."
"I am arrogant and I have the right to be. But in a situation where I'm severely outclassed there's nothing I can do. I'm arrogant, but not a fool."
"And I will dress how I like, you can throw out whatever stupid assumptions you'd like but I have no intentions to answer." She sneered.
"Do whatever you want but I want to go home as soon as possible."
Things had taken a pleasant turn but my heart itched.
It felt like not being able to scratch an unbearable itch.
My mood turned a bit sour.
The arrogant and proud Tatsumaki that I was about to play with had already submitted seeing her powerlessness.
If I wanted I could now use her however I'd like but that irritated me. The arrogance and calmness that she still held...
I'll break it.
If I don't, there's no point.
There's no fun.
"Alright, after the island exam is finished. We'll go back to your real world. Till that time, you'll follow all of my commands and if you behave well, don't try to escape or attack me again, I won't harm or restrict you."
"What!?" Tatsumaki was confused by his words and she didn't understand, "What nonsense are you talking about? What island exam?"
"You'll come to know it eventually. Just to give you an estimate, it'll take about a few months at most."
"The choice is yours, either put that pride of yours down and follow me like a maid willing to fulfil every single one of my commands or you could keep your pride while I have my way with you right now and keep you like a blow doll, locked in this room."
My tone was utterly emotionless.
This time, I wasn't faking it. The fact she was under my control wouldn't change. Giving her freedom? That was impossible.
Whatever choice she chooses doesn't matter because regardless both would satisfy my vanity.
Tatsumaki's face turned ugly as she clenched her fists. What she was facing was far more complicated than just a "few months".
It looks like she caught the subtle hint in my words.
How smart of her.
"After the island exams, we'll go back to your world."
These were the words I had spoken just a few moments ago. Her eyes flashed with a multitude of emotions before she suddenly sighed.
"I choose the first option but if you dare lie to me about going back, I'll do whatever I can to kill you."
Looks like she's accepted her fate.
I lightly pushed her off me and threw her to the ground before removing her restrictions completely. Tatsumaki didn't say a word and stood silently feeling the constraints on her loosen, regaining control of her body.
I'm going to slowly grind her to despair. I'll give her a fate worse than Karuizawa.
For now, I should go and control the upper echelons of the school and have her forcefully transferred into my class.
It would be much more fun humiliating her publicly.
The prideful and arrogant Tatsumaki—
"!!!"
But something unexpected happened. The connection in my mind gave me a warning and my heart raced.
In that split second, my eyes snapped to Tatsumaki's disdainful face. The corner of her lips was curved up into a small little sneer.
It was as if time had stopped as a chill went down my spine.
BOOM! SPLAT!
Just before I could restrict her my eyes turned red and all I saw was blood. It wasn't that I couldn't dodge but the sheer unexpectedness had left me so stunned that I didn't have the capacity to move.
But that was it.
It only took a few seconds for my turbulent mind to calm down. Without even intending to my tongue licked my lips and the rusty metallic taste of blood entered my mouth.
I was drenched in blood.
Then I saw her.
Or rather—
Her mangled corpse.
****
Plop!
With her upper body missing her lower body naturally fell to the ground without support.
My room was now completely coated in blood.
I wasn't spared as well. My body was completely drenched in blood and slimy red liquid continued to drip from my hair.
I blankly stared at my blood-filled palms. The heavy scent of blood assaulted my nose but my expression didn't change.
I licked my lips once again before taking a deep breath.
It wasn't a hallucination.
Tatsumaki had actually self-destructed.
I stared at the gruesome condition of her corpse, feeling a pit in my stomach.
I felt nauseous.
Oh, I knew how fucked up I was.
How utterly depraved I was.
It was not the corpse or the condition of the corpse that was making me nauseous.
It was the failure.
I finally understand the sense of unease I felt when I placed her on my lap.
Was this her way of saying "fuck you!" ?
I stared at her body— or rather what had remained of her body with a deep gaze as if wanting to imprint the image into my mind.
I will remember this.
...
Tatsuya wasn't aware of how much time passed as he silently stared at the corpse.
The corpse didn't have clothes on it now.
It had been torn away from the detonation.
Her glistening pussy was also stained with blood and despite being twenty-eight there was no sign of any hair near her sacred hole.
"Hehehe... Hahahahahahahaha!!!"
Suddenly Tatsuya laughed, he couldn't stop laughing.
Tears formed at the rim of his eyes but he didn't stop laughing, eventually, the tears streamed down his face.
It was as if—
As if gone psychotic!
His chilling laughter reverberated in the bloody room creating a horrifying sight. The ceiling dripped with blood as if showering him with it.
It was an extremely eerie sight.
But to Tatsuya it was different, it wasn't blood that was dripping from the ceiling but Tatsumaki's mockery; her disdain for him.
Soon Tatsuya's laughter came to an abrupt stop and his eyes turned cold.
He didn't bother wiping his tears, or rather with the amount of blood on his face it couldn't even be known whether he had cried or not.
"You've done it now." His bone-chilling voice was full of frost.
It was as if the voice belonged to a demon from hell.
He stabbed his foot into her dead pussy and flicked her corpse up.
As the body flew mid-air, Tatsuya moved!
He grabbed the edge of the now-gone upper half of her body, ignoring the feeling of her fleshy body and internal organs.
There was even her intestines dangling from the body.
Bringing it in front of him, Tatsuya ignored her jiggling milky white thighs and jade-like feet stained with blood.
His eyes glowed with an ominous crimson glow.
The air around him turned cold.
"I didn't think I'd have a use for a skill like this so soon." His frosty words echoed as he brought his other palm in front of Tatsumaki's corpse.
Ghostly howls emerged inside his confined room. The eerie screeching of the thousands of dead souls echoed in his ears but Tatsuya was determined.
Before he would go crazy from the spectral sounds his palm glowed with bloody light, beautifying his already bloody palm.
Soon a red light shone on Tatsumaki's corpse.
Then— Tatsuya curled his fingers as if grasping something.
As if he was trying to pull something from the void, his expression changed and a deep frown was etched on his face and the glowing crimson light faded away.
"I failed."
His emotionless voice echoed in the blood-stenched dorm room.
He didn't let go of the body but instead, his hand glowed once again and made a grabbing gesture.
His eyes glowed fiercely as he ignored the howling spirits.
His eyes started bleeding as he endured the pain.
A few seconds later his lips parted.
"I failed."
Tatsuya's own blood added nothing to his already drenched body. At most it made him look creepier as his face was already full of dried blood but now there were twisted lines of fresh new blood.
His palm glowed once again and enduring the pain he activated [Soul Eater] again, an ability he gained from one of the previous spins.
The third time— Failed.
.
.
.
The eighth time— Failed.
.
.
.
The fifteenth time— Failed.
...
An hour had already passed as Tatsuya continued to use the [Soul Eater] ability.
If not for Ban's regeneration he would've died already. A large bloody puddle had formed around his feet already, a puddle formed from his blood and not Tatsumaki's.
Tatsuya's eyes had already gone dull, completely pitch black.
As if he was no different from the corpse being grabbed by his hand.
Yet he was relentless and continued to activate the ability.
He had endured the pain of his brain and flesh melting when he initially crossed over.
How could something like this faze him?
He knew his current actions were futile yet he didn't stop.
His burning heart didn't allow him.
And the Heavens rewarded effort, no matter how evil the being.
On the 99th try, there was a sudden change.
The ominous crimson glow from his hand did not fade away like usual after failure.
Tatsuya's dull pitch black eyes remained the same but an eerie smile slowly surfaced on his bloody face.
A red thread had appeared in between his hand and the corpse, connecting each other.
The corpse in his hand lit up with a blood-red fire but there was no heat, no smell as the corpse slowly disappeared, engulfed by the ghostly flames.
Tatsuya flipped his palm towards the sky and on top of his red palm an illusionary figure was slowly forming.
The illusionary figure was formed from some kind of strange white mist. The white mist rolled around in his hand before taking on a humanoid shape.
But Tatsuya didn't move.
He silently stared as the white mist soon took on a translucent visage.
It looked exactly like Tatsumaki.
The beautiful translucent figure looked around in shock.
In front of her stood a giant man with eerie black eyes and a small gentle smile.
His face was covered with dried blood and even his hair was still covered in a red hue.
The room she was in looked like a purgatory.
Tatsumaki's soul flickered with fear and uncertainty as she slowly looked up to match Tatsuya's gaze and... tick.
A surge of memories rushed into her.
Her eyes went blank before she opened them again, her hatred and mocking look still there, yet it would be a lie to say that she wasn't frightened of the demonic and hellish state of the man and room in front of her.
"...How?"
Her mouth moved but there was no sound.
Only communication through wills.
She had killed herself.
Blown herself up.
Then what was the current scene in front of her?
Heavy confusion shrouded her soul as the feeling of uneasiness inside her grew.
Tatsuya obviously heard her but his expression didn't change. Only his smile grew gentler as the seconds passed by.
Suddenly his hoarse voice reached her.
"Did you believe that death would give you an escape?"
-x-X-x-
They say that everyone is the main character of their own story.
Who did not have ambitions? Who did not have desires?
There were those who lived through life desiring Eternity yet content with their mortality. Content with mortal life how dare they covet immortality?
Dreams were just a higher version of desires and ambitions.
Yet how many people actually had the lucky opportunity to experience beyond mortality? Stuck in a century-long prison, breathing in poison that little by little corrodes the body.
Fantasy is nothing but the inability to go beyond what's considered 'real'.
Out of the billions of humans on Earth Tatsuya was the one that received the favour of some unknown being.
But currently, that was irrelevant.
Tatsuya was seething as he held Tatsumaki's lingering soul.
"Did you believe that death would give you an escape?"
His voice was hoarse, testament to the burden his soul was in.
Physically he couldn't be more perfect but attempting [Soul Eater] on someone of Tatsumaki's caliber was suicide.
Tatsumaki had no physical body but she still felt cold all over. What in the world was going on? Just how strong was this guy? Did he just pull her soul over from the afterlife?
Just as she was about to speak, the all-familiar restriction returned. She couldn't do anything, frozen like an ice sculpture.
But despite being frozen Tatsumaki felt something.
As the seconds passed her soul was growing weaker, if she estimated correctly in just a few minutes she would disappear again regardless of whether he was restricting her or not.
But it wasn't only her that knew this.
Tatsuya knew it as well.
Tatsumaki felt relief spread through her soul, the amount of regret and shock she received when Tatsuya brought her back had her almost despair.
But now knowing that there was a limit to Tatsuya's strength her illusion of his almighty strength broke.
The current situation he was in also portrayed his deranged mental state.
A calm look came over her face as she waited for her soul to disappear.
"You'll regret this." Suddenly Tatsuya spoke his gentle expression replaced by neutrality.
But Tatsumaki ignored him.
"Staring at your corpse I had my head full of questions. Why? Why did you suddenly kill yourself? I couldn't understand. It was extremely irritating not knowing why. You are prideful, very prideful but I know that my actions were not enough to make you kill yourself. Why? " He started speaking as if talking to himself.
It was a creepy sight causing Tatsumaki to frown.
Why was there still a sense of unease in her heart?
"I underestimated you. I should've known that a Psychic's mind was infinitely faster than mine but I became complacent. Ever since I came to this world I have achieved all that I wished for, the feeling of having everything in my palm is intoxicating. I began to think that I wouldn't experience failure as long as I stayed within my limits."
"But because of this, I couldn't stand the fact you've made such a big loss for me." He scratched his bloody face and spoke cheerfully, "I withstood immeasurable pain to get you back here."
Suddenly he smiled softly, showing a happy expression.
"You must feel it by now, the weakening of your soul." He stated, "Unfortunately, Soul Eater isn't supposed to be used on dead targets. Even though I forcefully brought you here I can't keep you here for long."
It was exactly as Tatsuya said and that's why Tatsumaki was able to remain calm.
But now that the man himself mentioned it Tatsumaki felt nervous. Her mind rewinded the entire sequence of events and she wondered if she missed anything.
Where was the sense of uneasiness coming from!?
"So why did you bring me here again? What's the point?" Tatsumaki asked with a sneer. Even though she was restricted she could still think and hence communicate with him.
Tatsuya's eyes widened after hearing that.
"Why did I call you here?" He repeated her words with a whisper, his tone eerie.
"I am angry. It's because I'm angry." Tatsuya said, smiling once again. "I don't like to be angry. Do you know what made me angry the most?" He suddenly pointed to his bloody face.
"An esper like you, you could kill yourself very cleanly and silently. So tell me, why did you blow yourself up? Why did you make my room so dirty? Why did you make me dirty...?"
He raised his other palm and brought it on top of Tatsumaki's head. Tatsumaki didn't respond to him but analysed the current situation with an anxious mind.
She could sense it, the source of her uneasiness was coming near.
The glowing red palm sat on top of her head and Tatsumaki felt a suction. It was as if a part of her was being forcefully pulled out.
"But it's fine. I know how to make this anger disappear." His eyes were becoming softer, the dull pitch black eyes slowly regaining colour.
"If only you had picked the easy way out I would've been really considerate of you. I wasn't going to harm you."
Tatsumaki's soul flickered as if it was on the verge of dispersing. An immeasurable amount of pain assaulted her, it was as if something was eating her soul bit by bit.
It was excruciating.
She could barely remain conscious.
But at least she will be gone soon. Then no matter how much Tatsuya raged and cried it would not matter.
"Don't be happy that you're about to disappear." Tatsuya's eyes turned fierce. His expressions were constantly changing, appearing like a madman.
"This is just the beginning. The pain you feel right now is nothing compared to what you'll have to endure when we meet again."
And that was it.
Tatsumaki suddenly realised the sense of uneasiness and where it was coming from.
She subconsciously asked, "Meet again?"
"Yes, I'll go find the real Tatsumaki who is unharmed and safe in her world. I will come to your world and rape you to the death, not only you but your sister as well. No matter where you try to escape to or whomever you call for support, the moment I find you I'll make your lives a living hell."
Tatsumaki shuddered but before she could say anything her soul disappeared. The moment Tatsumaki disappeared Tatsuya felt his anger return and his expression turned cold.
A bundle of red fog now sat in Tatsuya's palm
He immediately contacted the system.
"You once told me that whenever you give me rewards, you establish a bridge between me and the reward's origin world. Is that correct?"
[Affirmative.]
"Then tell me is there a bridge connected to the One Punch Man world?"
[Host is correct. The bridge between World 7890 is established after receiving 'Garou's Physique' and may become a possible world that the host will travel to after completing the Main Mission.]
"Then if I say I want to immediately send something to World 7890, is it possible?"
[Affirmative but temporarily unavailable for the Host to use.]
Tatsuya frowned.
"Why is it unavailable?"
[The current level of the Host's System is low. Please upgrade the System to unlock more features.]
"How do I upgrade the System?" Tatsuya didn't waste a second before asking. He needed to vent his anger, did Tatsumaki really think she could make a fool out of him and simply disappear?
Not only did she make a fool of him, but she also wasted the precious Summoning Card. The amount of plans that Tatsuya had were all destroyed the moment she self-destructed.
[The Cost to upgrade the System from its current One Star state to Two Stars is to pay 10,000 SP.]
Tatsuya went to check his balance.
But even after constant sex, he was still missing a few thousand points.
Tatsuya stored the ball of red fog in the System Space and used the Cloak of Invisibility before exiting his room with a cold look.
Just before he left the room a bright light erupted from his body, enveloping him.
The bright light full of radiance flashed behind him and his entire room sparkled. Mere seconds later the bloody room, as if pulled back from time, appeared crystal clear.
Soon, Tatsuya disappeared.
-x-X-x-
I only love one thing and that's the law of the jungle. That the strong prey on the weak.
So when the strong had become prey for the weak I felt a fever rush. It filled my mind with ecstasy, it gave me incredible pleasure.
The strong Tatsumaki had become prey for the weak Tatsuya.
This realisation changed my worldview.
I had a hard time accepting it but the reason I was happy was that it was me breaking this norm, mostly because of the System but technically the system belonged to me so in essence it was still the same.
But Tatsumaki... She ruined everything.
She broke the happy delusion I was in. If I were truly strong then I could've prevented her from killing herself.
I failed.
I had become conceited.
Her self-destructing was something I had never even considered.
Partly due to the obsession I had with my own life, I couldn't understand how someone could so easily give up on living, and partly due to Tatsumaki's relationship with her sister and her obsessiveness.
Why would Tatsumaki kill herself?
The cold breeze pushed itself against my body, making my hair flutter.
My mind was submerged in sudden relaxation and my furious heart started calming down.
I hadn't gone mad to the point of craziness. While staring at her corpse earlier I was simply contemplating the reason she killed herself.
And when I realised why... I laughed.
I laughed till it hurt.
I've never laughed so much in my life.
It was so simple, so silly.
Everything had been going too smoothly for me. It was natural for me to let my guard down after having various characters under my palm.
The funny part was that I didn't even have to use any supernatural means.
Just words. Just information.
These two things made them completely fall under me.
I had become arrogant.
The weak don't prey on the strong.
This wouldn't change.
I had completely triggered the prideful Tatsumaki with my words without realising it.
When I hinted that I would return to her world with her I was initially joking because the probability of us going to the One Punch Man world was very low.
I didn't have the powers to travel world from world by my choice, only Tatsumaki thought so.
So considering her strength I was happy to have a strong companion along. Unless the world was too strong like Dragon Ball Tatsumaki would for sure be a powerhouse.
With her around I would've had a convenient bodyguard to any of the worlds I would go to.
Her beauty was just an added benefit.
Her strength which was completely under my control, that was the main source of my happiness and yet Tatsumaki shat on it.
She destroyed my happiness in mere seconds.
But it was my fault. I pushed her too far.
Her sister whom I had thought would be her weakness became the entire reason she killed herself.
Tatsumaki knew that if I were to go to her world as well then I wouldn't spare Fubuki regardless.
Things became simple after that.
To lie in death's peaceful embrace... Or be humiliated all her life while watching her precious sister share the same fate...?
I empathised with her.
I completely understood her feelings.
But it was because I understood her feelings I couldn't stand it. It was fine if you wanted to escape but to leave behind such a splendid display of mockery and disdain?
That I couldn't bear.
Empathising with her was a different thing altogether. In reality what Tatsumaki did was cockblock me, destroy my plans and even waste my Summoning Card.
Who is to say when I'll get another one? Who is to say the next summoned character would be as strong as Tatsumaki?
It was unbearable.
Did she really think she could cause me such a loss and simply run away?
Never.
...
It didn't take me long to reach my destination.
The night moon glistened beautifully enhancing the natural background. Looking at the sky I felt a sense of weakness.
In this vast universe, how different was I from a little bug?
What right did I have to be arrogant?
Such realisations entered my heart but I wasn't mad.
It made me more peaceful, more content.
What lay in the future, who knew?
But right now I had something important to do so I re-focused my attention on the individual sitting on the bench with her hands spread wide.
There weren't a lot of students around so I discreetly removed the cloak of invisibility and approached the lone individual.
"Hmm?" The individual looked back with a curious expression upon hearing my footsteps, "Oh?"
Glossy blood red eyes stared at me with an amused expression.
"What pleasure do I have to grace the 'Madman of the First Years' with at the moment?"
Sharp yet sweet, pleasing to the ears.
A soft smile naturally found its way to my face.
"Kiryuin Senpai."