Chapter 6: The Choice

[Hajime in first person]:

**One Week.**

I had one week to give an answer to Kohaku-san.

Fortunately, things at school were going a bit better. After the last incident, the students, at the bottom of the food chain, decided I was a "prey" too large for them, so they chose to keep their distance from me.

By the end of the first day of the deadline, my nights began to take a strange turn.

The first dream was confused and chaotic; I don't even remember what I saw or did. 

The only thing I was sure of when I woke up was that I felt a strong burning sensation in my chest. It lasted only a few seconds, so quick that I thought I had imagined it.

On the second day, I had another dream. This time, the images I saw were clearer, even though it felt as if I were looking through thick fog.

On the third day, it really started to scare me, and I finally realized that these were not just figments of my imagination.

What I saw was all too clear: I was in battle on a steed, wielding a large sword (made of my blood) as I cut down everything in my path.

I remember well that my body was covered in green sparks. For hours—no, maybe days—I continued to kill until I was finally pierced by a glowing lance to the heart.

"AH!"

I woke up just as I was dying; the pain I felt in my chest was so real that I checked multiple times to make sure I had no wounds.

On the fourth day, I had another one of these pseudo-visions.

This time, it was not in the middle of a battlefield, but that didn't mean I didn't have my hands stained with blood.

Like an assassin, I moved stealthily through the shadows, killing my targets with surgical precision.

Only after a while did I realize that my body was constantly changing shape. My facial features shifted based on the necessities of the moment.

In the end, I woke up only after being decapitated. The pain I felt seemed far too real.

Those had been four terrible days, but the fifth—that one was by far the worst.

More than a dream or vision, that night I experienced something "deeper." Unlike the other nights, I was fully aware of what was happening around me: I was devastating a nation.

From my body, green electric sparks erupted, which I used to manipulate the weather.

I unleashed floods, tornadoes, storms, and much more. There were no brakes or limits. The worst part of this entire experience was that I was enjoying it.

The taste of misery, of suffering, of pain made me happy.

I was bloodthirsty, like a hungry wolf. Nothing could stop me, and this time I was not killed; I woke up when the green sparks emanating from my body turned red, and a familiar [Grimorio] emerged from my chest.

"W-what... that can't be?"

When I used my [magic] for the first time, I was overjoyed. I thought I was one of those rare cases of people who awakened their powers later than others.

But after those five days, I understood that it wasn't like that. My powers derived from a [Grimorio] that I had absorbed when I was a child, before my father's death.

My mind had removed that event until now.

(End P.O.V.)

Hajime was scared to death. The boy had to probe the most remote corners of his memory to recall where and when he had come into contact with a [Grimorio].

These special objects were very difficult to find; they contained rare or special [magics] sealed within, passed on to those who could merge with the book.

Some might think it was fortunate to have the chance to acquire unique [magic]; unfortunately, most people were unaware of how dangerous these instruments could be.

Inside a [Grimorio] was not only sealed power but also a part of the soul of the one who created it.

In fact, it wasn't uncommon for old [wizards] who had died centuries ago to take control of the body of those hosting the books they had created.

Cases of madness due to the presence of different personalities within the same body were even more common.

Very few people truly benefited from merging with such a dangerous object.

Hajime's fear was well-founded; he had already noticed, since he first unlocked his powers, that something within him was changing.

"What should I do? I can't tell anyone... Mom doesn't need any more worries right now, and if I tell Kaori-chan, that bastard Goto will know too!" 

The boy could already imagine how things would unfold if Goto found out about his condition.

Probably, the head of the [Black Corps] would lock him up somewhere using this excuse to his advantage. 

In the worst-case scenario, he could even kill him, blaming the [Grimorio], thus allowing him to get away with it cleanly before the entire island, and, most importantly, before Kaori.

Without the teenager to protect his mother, a horrific fate would soon befall her as well. Hajime could not allow that. He would protect his mother from Goto at any cost.

And so, on the sixth day, the boy went to school, determined to give his answer to Kohaku.

"So, what have you decided? Will you help us?" (Kohaku)

"Yeah... but only under certain conditions."

"Hmmm... okay, I'll see what I can do; go ahead."

The two teenagers had hidden in a remote corner of the school. Cloe and Kuro were ensuring that no one would interrupt them, blocking access to that place.

"First: Kaori-chan and my mother will not be touched in any way. Don't even think for a second about kidnapping them to blackmail me!" (Hajime)

"Don't worry, Kamijo-san; we don't involve innocent people in our plans. We are only interested in Goto and everyone like him."

"Second: I want to know the truth about your 'friends' who want to overthrow the government."

"T-this is a bit challenging to do... I can't tell you certain things of my own accord."

"Then let me speak to someone in charge!"

"I'll see what I can do... but I can't promise anything; anything else?"

"Yes. Third: I want to know where your base is. I'm tired of being knocked out just to get there."

Kohaku stiffened slightly upon hearing the teenager's last request; she should have expected it. Perhaps she had underestimated Hajime's intelligence.

Cloe and Kuro would not agree with the girl revealing the location of their home, and frankly, she didn't want to either. But perhaps she could reach a compromise.

"Kamijo-san, our home is a safe and very important place for my 'friends'; in a sense, it can be considered a strategic point... it's sensitive information. If you want to know it, you will have to do something for us first." (Kohaku)

Hajime remained silent, trying to decipher Kohaku's words. The girl was cautious; she didn't want to expose herself. After all, if Goto's stepson ever betrayed them, they would be in serious trouble if their enemies found out about their hideout.

"I understand... you want insurance, or rather, sensitive information about me so you can blackmail me or ruin me in case I tell the [Black Corps] about your home." (Hajime)

"Yes, I hope you understand."

"Alright. Tell me what I need to do."

The hacker girl was slightly surprised by how easily Hajime accepted. Despite this, she felt a sense of happiness knowing that her new ally was determined to do what was necessary.

"Tomorrow I'll give you the information. For now, we're done." (Kohaku)

"Good, see you then. Oh! Wait, out of curiosity, if I had said no today, what would you have done?"

Kohaku smiled faintly at him, giving him a look that said, "Do you really want to know?" In the end, she decided to tell him the truth.

"I would have given you a substance that would wipe your memory of all the events of the past month. Then we would have staged an accident, so everyone would think you had amnesia from a bump on the head."

" I-I guess it's a good thing I accepted then?" (Hajime)

" Yes, it is! I hope our collaboration lasts a long time, Kamijo-san!" (Kohaku)

The two parted ways. That night, Hajime didn't have nightmares, but only pleasant dreams. It was as if the [Grimoire] was telling him that he had made the right choice.