"Stop pretending, Lucifer's will is right here, sealed by you."

"Well, if you don't believe it, I don't mind having a few moves with you!"

"......"

After Edward was left hanging, he didn't even dare to say a word of encouragement. After all, he was not the reckless country bumpkin type. It would be underestimating him if he thought he would easily get angry.

The opponent was still the Valkyrie who once wore a silver battle robe, but her golden mane that used to emit light had been shortened to shoulder-length, exuding a kind of feminine elegance that could make anyone feel a bit moved.

Edward was speechless. The Valkyrie was domineering and unreasonable compared to his gentleness.

"Anything else? If not, please leave!"

Before Edward could even say anything, the Valkyrie's temple knight had already kicked him out.

......

"Roar!"

A green streak of light rushed towards me from all directions. Just when it was half a meter away from me, it was blocked in an instant.

When Yukari, my sister, appeared again in the sky, she clenched her left hand into a fist and unleashed a hundred thousand demonic lights! In an instant, the mutants within a radius of ten thousand meters were turned into ashes by the dense blood-red light rays that shot up from the ground.

"Phew!"

As the situation was resolved, just as I was about to leave, a dreadful voice sounded from behind me.

"Hmph, you dare to destroy the B-grade poisonous claws I painstakingly nurtured and then try to leave without compensating?"

This is...

A man with short hair, wait, he's a puppet!?! The core of this batch of mutants!

.......

The rain had been pouring continuously for over a month, which was really bizarre,

Even I had to take note of it, although the other person seemed uninterested altogether.

Even if the future that others could not acknowledge, as long as I relied on my own thoughts, then all mistakes could have a chance to start anew.

"This story is getting more and more absurd, even surpassing my expectations!"

Muttering to myself, I instinctively closed the window, isolating myself outside, looking at Yukari and them through a transparent glass, feeling even more lonely amidst the mixed feelings in my heart.

Though it had been quite some time, not even a trace of the initial wounds had manifested on my body.

"I am becoming less and less like a typical human, turning into a complete monster!"

As I said this, there was a tone of desolation or irony in my voice.

The final outcome for me might not be so simple. It was completely different from what I had initially anticipated. The future had changed, and I hoped it would be a happy ending rather than the beginning of a tragedy. I couldn't accept such immense pain leading to a future without hope.

Sitting under the eaves alone, I thought quietly, hoping that everything would not turn out as expected...

"I didn't carefully consider the current situation, but I thought it would be difficult to do so right from the start."

The next morning...

I received a report about an organization of espers that had organized into a criminal faction not under the jurisdiction of the United Nations, ordering senior students to catch the offenders to enforce attendance levels - Class 1A and 2A.

"According to reports, this organization has twelve leaders." I absentmindedly brushed my teeth while watching the latest news on TV.

However... Class 1A students going to battle? I was so shocked that even my toothbrush fell out of my hand.

"It is reported that all members of this organization wear a badge with a red-eyed skull logo. The apprehenders need to be cautious of this higher-level team, as four Class 1A students have already died last night!"

The attacks from beings of otherworldly energy have become more frequent, all because humans continue to pursue perfection until—the divine. People have discovered that the world exists in dual spaces, and the friends from the alternate realm are not very friendly, almost like bloodthirsty demons!

"Class is over, students please enter the jurisdiction of the society, or quickly go home, the equipment check will be opened in ten minutes."

Class was over, I was about to go home, but then I remembered I had a society meeting, so I walked through the west alley to find the president.

"President!"

Yukari sister sat pitifully alone in a box, I lifted her up, without saying a word, I squeezed her cheeks hard and said.

"What's going on? Ate a landmine?"

Her eyes cloudy, with a worried look on her face, said.

"The damn news, tomorrow the student council will be disbanded, replaced by a special police enforcement division, mission—hunting..."

"Illegal organizations?"

I was a bit confused because I'm not very good at capturing criminals,

Didn't the broadcast say it already, Fran slowly took out the mission list, and the general content of the target is—extermination!

Everyone understood what extermination meant, it's a matter of life and death!

"But we don't have any team members..."

I said slowly.

"So, we are doomed to have no chance of completing this mission, we simply don't have that kind of mindset!"

"Hey, why are you giving up before you even start, isn't like you, Haige..."

"Do you know anything about me? What right do you have to lecture me?"

I was completely angry, regardless of the fact that everyone was present, I vented my anger, startling Yukari and others including Chiyori.

But I also realized that my words were somewhat inappropriate, and I hoped not to make enemies unnecessarily.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm just a bystander, is it too much to offer my suggestion... oh, and the words I just said, forget about them."

I'm not particularly fond of living with a group of people, being able to have the spacious eaves to myself is already satisfying.

"Hey, explain that inexplicable emotion just now... Haige?!"

"Don't go after him, let him be."

Yukari stopped Chiyori from following me, then looked at her with a serious expression.

"Don't expect him to say anything sweet to cheer us up, he's not that kind of person, precisely, he's an out-and-out jerk."

"That's true, always reluctant to expose himself, but unconsciously seen through by others should be exactly like that, right?"

Fran's head suddenly enlightened, then high-fived Yukari to celebrate.

Yukari also gave him full marks for his idea.

"You got it right, he can handle his own affairs, we just need to protect him in our own way!"

As for how to protect him...

"Hey, could you stop staring at me all the time?"

I always feel hairy on my back, it feels really uncomfortable to be watched by a few people through the window.

Only Chiyori showed a bewildering look and hugged the puppet-like Ninomiya from behind.

"What are they talking about, they seem very powerful, huh?"

"Tsk tsk tsk!"

Ninomiya just clicked his tongue, not providing any effective answer.

"Ah, can you only be lively and cute in front of the president?"

"Don't poke my face, the mask will get tainted with your smell!"

"..."

Chiyori said, feeling a headache coming on.

"Is that the only thing you care about?"

"Yes, it's worse to be seen anywhere without my face being seen."

After that, there was no more conversation.

...

"Before me lie two paths, one of evasion, the other of advancement, just as brainless as I had imagined, acting all aloof and Yukari-esque, a style she herself does not like."

Anyone who has met her would think so, why is this girl so clueless?

And not just in appearance and personality, which are totally mismatched, I just can't stand being treated this way, even back in elementary school I didn't like her, because I thought she was a total troublemaker.

She's just a high school student now, isn't she? At most, she's close to graduation level, she couldn't possibly have too strong biases against me.

"But, back then, I really cared about her, a complete crybaby, really... hah, forgive me for being so inept all along."

Even though I know it's not real, I still loved the sister from the past, the one who only belonged to me.

I don't have much time to ponder about life, after a day of hard work I'm already tired, and unknowingly drift off into dreamland.

...

(Future)

A white world, ethereal creatures, looking around, there's nothing left in the world... no, in the not-too-far distance, standing tall in the blizzard is a massive figure.

But compared to the present situation, all that doesn't matter anymore.

What matters is...

Ding... Ding!

Drops of water hitting the steel plate one by one, creating crisp sounds.

Inside the train, from the floor to the seats, all covered in bloodstains!

The sky outside the window also seems to have been painted with blood, it's simply a nightmare!

I first panic because everywhere is painted in colors of agony, and from the next compartment, there is occasionally the sound of metal scraping against the ground, making me shudder.

Although inside the train is all blood-red, outside the window is a beautiful world of pure white snow.

"The train isn't moving?"

The train shows no sign of wanting to depart, so there's no point in staying on it.

Not long after, I punch a hole through the snow-covered glass and successfully climb out.

"Ah, what's that?"

In the blizzard, a faint shadow appears, but I can't see the shadow's appearance clearly, so I cautiously approach it step by step, and gradually its features become clear.

When I see the full appearance of that figure in the blizzard, my pupils contract sharply, and I stand there stunned in place, shocked.

A colossal aquamarine mechanical armor... to be precise, a gigantic armor that can move on its own!

In its hand is a huge sword even larger and longer than a regular longsword, each swing of the sword can create a crack in the ground, and if faced head-on... splat... the bloodiness, the violence!

The scene is too stunning, too terrifying to imagine!

"Is this... a god or a devil?!"

The Magic Sword in my hand almost slips, but luckily my sister reminds me just in time.

"Guard your mind quickly, don't let its aura scare you!"

"Ah...?"

In the instant of my daze, the giant sword comes down towards me with great force, and unable to dodge, I can only steel myself and face it head-on!

"Ah...!"

Thud!

"Ah!"

Suddenly awakened from the dream, yet I couldn't feel any hint of falsity, as if it had really happened just now.