So painful. My body burned. A ball of fire raged in my lower abdomen. Why? Just moments ago, it felt so good. But as I absorbed her spiritual energy, it shifted—seeping into every cell, reshaping them. Then came the excruciating pain of total transformation. Every inch of me felt aflame, especially below my waist. Sensation there had nearly vanished.

"Class Rep Hanhan… how are you feeling…?"

Gritting my teeth, I kept drawing out her spiritual energy until not even a trace remained. Only then did I push her away. Her reactions had shifted from fierce resistance to gentle compliance. She seemed… normal again. I hoped.

"…"

Class Rep Hanhan said nothing. She stared at me a long moment, then slowly wiped residual moisture from the corner of her mouth. She rose from me. The madness in her eyes was gone. Now, I couldn’t read a single emotion—just that same machine-like stillness.

"I’m so sorry, Class Rep Hanhan! It’s all my fault! Punish me however you want—call the police, anything!"

I didn’t stand. I dropped to my knees before her, forehead pressed to the floor, begging forgiveness.

"Don’t breathe a word about today. Or else…"

She flicked her wrist. A sharp *whoosh* of sleeve—and three blades sank straight into the concrete floor before me. The warning was clear.

"Understood! I’d die before speaking of this!"

"Then get out!"

"Y-yes! I’m gone! If you ever need anything—walking over blades or through fire—I’ll do it without hesitation!"

I kept my head bowed, too ashamed to look at her. Crawling all the way down from the rooftop.

"Truly… so adorable~"

Not long after I left, Class Rep Hanhan showed no anger, no shyness. A faint, happy smile curved her lips. She gazed at the finger she’d used to wipe her mouth—my saliva still glistened on it. Slowly, without hesitation, she brought it to her lips, sucking it gently, licking like a child savoring a lollipop. A soft blush bloomed across her lovely cheeks.

Meanwhile, I endured the worst pain of my life.

"So painful… Am I dying…?"

Body scorching. Vision blurred. Every nerve screamed. Heart hammered—I heard each heavy *thump*.

I had to get home.

After pulling my hood up, I staggered to the teacher’s office. Thanks to this morning’s chickenpox incident, I easily got three days’ leave. Forced myself to the gate, hailed a taxi.

"Fox Demon… won’t you come out…? I can’t hold on… I’m dying…"

Home. I tore off the heavy clothes. My insides felt molten. Tempered in fire—my whole body flushed an unnatural crimson.

"Ah—what is this…? Agh! So painful!"

Shirt off. Pants off. Then—my tail. This morning, I’d wrapped it in over twenty layers of tape. Every strand of fox fur glued tight. Removing it meant ripping fur out.

Ever had tape ripped from leg hair? This was worse. Far worse. My tail’s sensitivity dwarfed a leg’s. Fur packed dense… one tug…

"AAAAAAAH! CAN’T TAKE IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT————————!"

Physical agony had shattered my mind. Now, peeling tape from my tail—two pains fused. I hurled the scissors away and screamed with everything left in me.

"Why?! Why must I suffer?! What did I do wrong?! Why… why me… to bear this… why…"

I smashed everything nearby. But the more I raged, the hotter I burned. Pain spiked. Grabbed a plastic bottle—it melted, ignited in my grip. Each step left a charred black print on the wooden floor. Air thickened. The fish tank behind me bubbled to a boil. Balcony plants curled and crisped. Light tubes overhead shattered.

Finally—my power hit its limit.

"AAAAAAAAAH——————!"

With the roar, every pore erupted crimson Foxfire. But the flames didn’t explode outward. They swirled around me, coiling tighter, forming a blazing tornado that wrapped me whole.

Bathed in Foxfire, my body began its fundamental change. But I’d already lost consciousness—blind, deaf, to everything unfolding.