Chapter 9: Options

[HARU'S POINT OF VIEW]

"Thank you for accepting my invitation, 715," said Watanabe.

I sat down on the chair I'd created with my barrier, having been standing for a while. "Well?" I began. "What is this about?"

She fixed me with a look, her eyebrows narrowing in annoyance. "Quite rude of you to sit by yourself while I'm standing here."

"It's your fault for not bringing your own chair."

She scoffed at my remark. "Anyway, congratulations on receiving your first mission."

"I don't need you roleplaying as my mother. Why did you send us a request?" I snapped. My patience wasn't the issue—I really needed to hurry, or my clubmates would find out about my bullshit.

She chuckled as she moved to the side. "I've done a bit of research, you know? About you."

"Cool. What did you find out?"

Her hands remained tucked in the pockets of her blazer as she paced slowly from side to side—so relaxed, almost too relaxed. At that moment, I couldn't tell if her guard was completely down or if she was setting a trap. "As your teacher, it's simply my obligation to know as much as possible about you." She paused in the middle of the hallway, turning fully to face me. "I heard that you're currently living alone in your apartment, and that your relative is supporting you from abroad." After saying that, her lips curved upward even more.

I thought, I know exactly where she's getting at.

I stood up casually, erasing the barrier I'd been sitting on. "You've done well, Watanabe."

She let out a devilish laugh. "What a cute little backstory you got there, huh? Ta...ka...ha...shi—kun," she mocked, her voice dripping with scorn. "Did you really think you could escape your past? It will stay with you forever, Takahashi-kun. No matter where you go, no matter how many times you restart, you will be nothing more than a failed tool—a defective product. You will never become a human like the rest of them." It felt as if she were dragging me down into a realm I had desperately tried to escape. Unsure of what to do next, I decided to stay put and listen, willing to compromise if I had to, though I really didn't know what to do from this point on—after all, everything she just said was true. "You belong with us, 715. We are the ones who understand you, and we will be the only ones you'll ever understand," she continued in a gentler tone, her grin softening into a smile. "Why are you doing all this? You're suffering unnecessarily and getting innocent people caught up. Join us. We will handle everything. I just need your agreement, 715." Every fiber of me screamed 'no.' I didn't want to go back—I liked the way things were now, and I had worked so hard to get here. The people who cared about me had made sacrifices so I could fulfill my selfish wish, and more importantly, I had made a promise: "Join us. For Tendou Mikari's sake, and yours as well." she said, her voice was calm and composed, but I could see a hint of desperation in her eyes. What that could mean, I had no idea.

Tendou Mikari was a worker at the organization's facility who had helped me escape and taken care of everything when I moved to Kyoto—and even now, she's been supporting my school expenses. It seems they've found out about her and are using her as leverage for negotiation.

A sigh escaped my lips as I met her gaze. "Threaten or persuade me, pick one for fuck's sake."

Her smile twisted into a scowl. "It seems there's no convincing you, 715."

"Yeah, no. You almost made me tear up with that speech, though. But as I thought, I really hate your guts."

Her eyes widened in fury, veins bulging on her face and neck. "Then you and your precious Tendou can die—"

Before she could finish, a blade-shaped barrier sliced through the air toward her, but a giant shadow hand erupted from beneath our feet, shattering the second floor as it intercepted the attack. So she had her guard up the whole time. But my blade was unstoppable—no force in this universe could halt the motion of a barrier I created. The impact sent her flying through the glass window, tearing apart the walls of the hallway along with her ability.

I formed a horizontal barrier across the gaping hole and walked to the other side, heading toward the shattered window. But when I looked down, she wasn't there. Had she fled? Not likely—she was too hell-bent on killing me for that.

The ceiling above me suddenly caved in as a massive fist came crashing down, only to be stopped by a solid, glowing gold barrier. The collision sent tremors through the building, shaking it to its core. I take it she's no longer here.

The entire structure was in ruins. I summoned a barrier beneath my feet and flew out of the wreckage, scanning my surroundings. Then I saw her—standing on the rooftop of the next building, gripping her wounded arm, her eyes burning with unwavering rage and malice.

I descended onto the rooftop, landing with a soft thud before erasing the barrier beneath me. "Are you ready to die?" I asked.

She let out a chuckle. "You're gonna kill me, huh?" Her laughter grew louder, almost hysterical. "You… you didn't change. You can't change."

Annoyed, I decided to carve my frustration into her skin. Small blade barriers sliced through the air, grazing her arms and legs, tearing through her clothes, drawing thin lines of blood. She barely flinched. "I was trying, Watanabe." I stepped closer, making sure she could hear me clearly, and because I wanted to see her suffer up close. "Until you came along and destroyed everything."

"Go ahead," she said coldly, her expression unreadable. "Cut me to pieces like you did the people who raised you and taught you how to live."

I wanted to end her right then and there. But as the haze of anger lifted, logic kicked in—I needed to think carefully about my next move. If she died here, I would be the only suspect.

"What are you waiting for?" she pressed.

Without taking my eyes off her, I ran through everything that had happened since the night we met. If she was from the organization and her goal was to convince me to return, then her actions—her impatience, the way she lashed out when things didn't go her way—didn't add up.

"Let me ask you some questions first," I said. She responded with a sharp glare. "How much of the organization managed to survive? Who is your new leader?"

Her frown deepened, but she looked more confused than angry. After a heavy sigh, she finally spoke. "Don't be cocky. Just finish me off while you have the chance."

Four spears hovered above me, each one aimed directly at her heart. "You said it yourself, Watanabe. I didn't change."

I launched the first spear. As expected, she reacted—her ability sprung to life, summoning the shadow hand to block the attack. Turns out she still wanted to live. The spear pierced through the hand's palm before vanishing just inches from her body. What I didn't expect was her sudden scream. She collapsed to her knees, clutching her left hand as blood dripped between her fingers, her face twisted in agony.

So that was it. Any damage inflicted on the shadow hand was reflected onto her own left hand.

"Why are you trying to drag me back to the organization?" I asked.

She panted heavily, sweat trickling down her face. "W... What are you talking about?" she muttered, barely holding herself together. Did I hear her right? I was sure I did. I stepped closer, watching her carefully. She looked like she had no fight left in her. "Who said I was from that organization?" she added.

I frowned at her words. "You're not? Then how do you know so much about my past?" No answer. She kept her head down, silent. "More importantly, who the hell sent you? Who are you working for?"

Only then did she lift her face, her breath ragged. "We don't have time to pretend like normal people, 715."

I crouched down to her level, placing a hand on her shoulder without much thought. "Is there a reason you can't answer my questions?"

Her eyes dulled before she could respond. A second later, they shut completely, and her body collapsed. I let her fall, watching as she lay unconscious on the rooftop. Not that she was going to say anything useful anyway.

I stood up and took in my surroundings. The building next to us was half-destroyed but still standing. The sun had nearly set, casting the area in creeping darkness. The chaos from earlier had faded into absolute silence. Good. This place was abandoned—no witnesses, no problems.

Or so I thought.

The quiet was broken by the sound of approaching footsteps, followed by an unfamiliar sigh.

"Gosh, how useless can she be?" A man appeared out of nowhere, casually walking over to Watanabe. At first glance, he looked like an ordinary salaryman—formal attire, gentle demeanor—but there was something off about him. He glanced at me briefly before focusing on Watanabe. "This sister of mine is a handful, isn't she?"

I studied him carefully. This building had at least ten floors, and we were on the rooftop. He hadn't come through the rooftop door, so had he climbed all the way up? What was his ability? He called Watanabe his sister, but abilities weren't hereditary, so that connection meant nothing. Still, there had to be something there.

As he crouched down beside her, placing a hand on her forehead, I spoke. "And who are you? Are you here for a fight as well?"

He ignored me completely, his focus entirely on Watanabe. His relaxed posture, his utter lack of concern—it would've been so easy to kill him right then, yet he didn't seem to care. "She passed out from the pain, didn't she?" he murmured, almost to himself. "That's very unacceptable, you know?"

Then, without warning, Watanabe's eyes shot wide open. Her back arched as a bloodcurdling scream tore from her throat. She clawed at his wrist, desperate to pry his hand away, but he didn't budge. Her body convulsed in agony, tears, saliva, and sweat soaking her face as she writhed like a dying animal. When he finally lifted his hand, she collapsed onto the ground like a broken doll, gasping for air, her eyes glassy and unfocused.

"Hi! Are you finally awake now?" he asked cheerfully.

I could tell that she was barely conscious when she nodded desperately, but no words came out.

My alertness heightened as he suddenly raised his hand. A sharp snap of his fingers reverberated through the air, followed by rhythmic thuds echoing from within the building. The sound grew louder, coming from below us—no, from within the very structure itself. "I sent my dear sister to..." he paused, his tone casual despite the ominous noise. "Persuade you into joining our ranks. One of the worst mistakes I've made. You can't really trust her with anything, after all."

The thudding intensified, and within seconds, I recognized it for what it was—something massive was climbing the building. "We can't tell you the details unless you decide to join us, but I can tell you this much." As he spoke, enormous claws dug into the edge of the rooftop, and a monstrous figure pulled itself up, revealing its grotesque form. Those familiar demonic eyes, the sheer size of its body, those deadly claws—there was no doubt. It was the same type of monster that attacked our school. "We need your powers, Takahashi-san. And we will never stop until you become ours."

The moment he finished speaking, the massive creature extended its claws, carefully lifting Watanabe's limp body. It then lowered its head toward the man, almost as if offering him a ride.

"You sound awfully confident, sir," I said, keeping my stance firm.

He let out a lighthearted laugh. "It's one of my good traits, they say," he replied, stepping onto the monster's enormous shoulder with ease. "Soon enough, we will succeed."

I eyed the monster carefully. "Was it you who sent those creatures to my school? Is controlling them your ability?"

As the beast shifted, preparing to descend from the rooftop, the man turned back to me one last time. His expression didn't change, but his eyes gleamed with amusement. "Maybe," he said simply. Then, with a grin eerily similar to Watanabe's, he added, "By the way, how's the man you rescued earlier? I hope he's better now."

[ END OF CHAPTER ]