Chapter 121: Dohnaseek

After spending time at Matsuda's house, laughing with his friends and trying to push away the nagging confusion that haunted him, Issei walked home in the fading evening light. Despite his efforts to relax, a lingering tension sat in his chest, like a knot he couldn't untangle. His mind kept drifting back to her—Yuuma-chan. No matter how much his friends joked and acted like everything was fine, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong.

On impulse, he veered off the usual route home and found himself walking toward the park. It was the same park where everything had happened—the place where Yuuma-chan had… stabbed him.

Issei shuddered at the memory, his hand instinctively going to his chest as if he could still feel the wound. It was strange. Even though no one seemed to remember Yuuma-chan, he remembered it all too well. The cold, sharp pain of the light spear piercing through his body, the terror at that moment when her smiling face twisted into something strate. 

He could still see her in his mind, standing over him with that cruel smile, her sweet voice turning venomous as she uttered words he didn't fully understand at the time. "Sorry, but you need to die now."

As Issei reached the park, the familiar surroundings brought the memories flooding back even stronger. The playground was deserted, eerily quiet, just like that night. He strolled toward the exact spot where it had all gone wrong, where Yuuma had transformed from his sweet girlfriend into something far more terrifying.

Issei's breath hitched as he stood there, looking down at the ground. His fingers brushed against his chest again, tracing the scar that wasn't there but should have been. He knew it wasn't just his imagination—something real had happened that night, something no one else seemed to remember. 

Why? Why was he the only one who could recall the horror of that night? Why had Yuuma-chan disappeared from everyone's memory, like she never existed? The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He wasn't crazy. He couldn't be. He had been there, he had felt the pain, and he had seen the light fading from his own eyes as he died… or at least, he should have died.

But then he didn't. Somehow, he had survived, and now he was left with questions and no answers. The pain still throbbed in his chest, a phantom reminder of the night his world had flipped upside down. His thoughts spiralled, drowning him in confusion, when suddenly—

"What is a stray devil doing here?"

The voice was sharp, cutting through the stillness of the park like a knife. Issei turned, startled. Standing before him was a middle-aged-looking man with short black hair and dark blue eyes, his gaze cold and piercing.

Issei took a step back instinctively. His whole body tensed, and a cold sweat began to form on his forehead. There was something about this man—something dangerous. Issei couldn't explain it, but it felt like standing face-to-face with his natural enemy.

"W-who are you?" Issei stammered, trying to keep his voice steady, though fear gripped him.

The man's lips curled into a cruel smirk. "My name is Dohnaseek."

Issei's heart raced even faster now. The name meant nothing to him, but the way Dohnaseek carried himself—the sinister aura that radiated from him—made it clear that this wasn't an ordinary person. This was someone who could kill him, someone who probably wanted to.

"What do you want?" Issei asked, trying to sound brave, though he could feel his legs trembling beneath him.

Dohnaseek took a step forward, his dark eyes gleaming with malice. "Isn't it obvious, stray devil? I'm here to finish what should have been done long ago."

Stray devil? The words echoed in Issei's mind. He had no idea what this man was talking about, but the mention of devils immediately brought his mind back to Yuuma-chan. The way she had changed, the way she had called him a "sacrifice"—was this man connected to her somehow?

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Issei replied, his voice shaky but defiant. "I'm not a devil. I'm just a regular guy!"

Dohnaseek laughed, a dark, mocking sound that sent chills down Issei's spine. "Regular, you say? Oh, I know exactly what you are. You may not understand it yet, but you're far from a regular guy."

Issei's hands balled into fists as he tried to keep his composure. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but his legs wouldn't move. Dohnaseek took another step closer, his presence suffocating, like a predator closing in on its prey.

"And as for what I want…" Dohnaseek continued, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper, "I'm here to correct a mistake."

Issei's breath caught in his throat. A mistake? His mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening. Why did this man want him dead? Was this connected to Yuuma-chan's attack? And if so, why had he survived that night?

Before Issei could say anything, Dohnaseek extended his hand, and a glowing spear of light materialized in his grasp. The same weapon Yuuma-chan had used to stab him.

Issei's heart pounded in his chest, the terror from that night returning in full force. He stumbled backwards, his eyes wide with fear. 

This is it, he thought. This is how I die.

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