Chapter 6

"Wait, no!" Ellie yelled, throwing herself between Chiaki and Jay. Her arms spread wide, shielding his unconscious body.

"Get out of my way," Chiaki commanded, her voice firm and unyielding.

"No, I won't. Please don't kill him!" Ellie pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation.

"I have to," Chiaki insisted, her spear unwavering. "If I don't pierce his heart, he'll stay like this forever. He could cause massive destruction to the city. I'm sorry, Ellie. As much as I hate it, this is the only option."

"I still won't allow it!" Ellie shouted, her voice filled with determination. "I will change him back. I know I can."

Chiaki hesitated, her grip on the spear tightening. "Ellie... this isn't a game. If you're wrong, countless lives will be at risk."

Ellie didn't move. "Then I'll take that risk. He's my friend, and I won't let him die."

Meanwhile, Jay found himself in a dark, crimson world. The ground beneath him shimmered with ankle-deep water, reflecting the blood-red sky above. He could hear faint murmurs, indistinct and eerie, echoing all around him. Suddenly, a guttural growl reverberated through the air.

A towering black figure emerged from the watery expanse, its glowing red eyes piercing through the darkness. Its jagged mouth opened, revealing razor-sharp teeth.

"I'll be taking you out of your body," the figure declared in a deep, demonic voice.

"What are you talking about?" Jay asked, his voice shaky.

"Since I've claimed your heart, all that remains is to destroy your soul. And that is you," the figure growled, its words dripping with malice.

Jay's stomach dropped. He realized the gravity of his mistake—accepting the demon's power had come at a devastating price. If he lost his soul, he would cease to exist, and the demon would have complete control over his body. He couldn't let that happen.

Without hesitation, Jay turned and ran. The figure's massive hands clawed at him, but his speed kept him just out of reach. His heart pounded as the ground splashed beneath his feet.

"Running won't save you," the demon sneered, its voice echoing in his mind.

Jay didn't reply. He was too focused on escaping. But then, faintly, he heard something else—a voice calling his name. It was soft at first, almost drowned out by the demon's taunts, but it grew louder and more distinct.

"Jay! Please come back!" Ellie's voice cried, filled with anguish.

Jay's steps faltered as a vision of Ellie appeared in his mind. She was hunched over his body, tears streaming down her face, her hands gripping his shoulders. Her tears dripped onto his cheeks as she begged him to wake up.

"Ellie..." Jay whispered. The thought of her gave him strength. She was the first person who had ever cared for him, ghost or not. She was his friend, and he had promised her they would find her parents together. He couldn't let her down.

The demon took advantage of Jay's distraction, slamming him with a massive hand. Jay was thrown into the air, landing with a painful thud in the water. He groaned, his body aching, but Ellie's voice echoed in his mind, grounding him.

He forced himself to stand, despite the pain. "How am I going to defeat this thing?" he muttered to himself. "I need power!"

Suddenly, a searing heat coursed through his body. The red aura returned, swirling around him like flames. His nails lengthened into claws, his hair and eyes turned crimson, and his horns reappeared. But this time, something was different. Jay felt in control. The power wasn't overwhelming him—it was his to command.

He flexed his claws, a smirk forming on his lips. "Oh, hell yeah," he said, his voice carrying a demonic edge. "Damn, I sound scary... but badass."

The demon was stunned. "How the hell did you get my powers? No! This is impossible!" it roared, its voice filled with disbelief.

Jay didn't waste time. He dashed forward, his speed unmatched, and ran up the demon's massive arm. The creature swung wildly, trying to swat him away like an insect, but Jay was too fast. He reached its shoulder and leapt toward its face, aiming for its glowing red eyes.

Back in the real world, Ellie remained by Jay's side, tears streaming down her face. His body lay motionless, still in its demonic form. She hunched over him, clutching his hand tightly.

"Jay, please," she whispered. "Come back to me."

A sudden red aura surrounded them, making Ellie gasp. Chiaki, who had been watching silently, gripped her spear, ready for any sign of danger. But then, to her astonishment, Jay's horns began to shrink. His claws retracted, and his crimson hair faded back to black.

Ellie's eyes widened in disbelief. "Jay!" she cried, her voice breaking with relief. She threw her arms around him as his body returned to normal.

Chiaki lowered her spear, her face a mixture of confusion and amazement. "Well, I'll be damned," she muttered. "He actually turned back."

Ellie looked up at her, tears of joy streaming down her face. "See? I told you! He's back!"

Jay woke up to find bandages wrapped around his chest and arms. He looked around the room, realizing he wasn't in his own bedroom. The walls, ceiling, and floor were made out of wood. Ellie was lying on his legs, and Jay felt a wave of relief wash over him. The only reason he had the courage to fight the huge creature was because of her. Jay smiled softly.

Ellie stirred awake, smiling back at him. She quickly gave him a hug.

"Where are we?" Jay asked.

"We're in a shrine, where Chiaki works," Ellie replied.

"Thank you," Jay said sincerely.

Ellie tilted her head, confused by the gratitude, but she didn't care. She continued to hug him. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Jay decided to explore. He gently slid open the paper door, revealing a hallway. At the end was a large, empty room filled with a group of people.

Jay saw three guys—one adult and two teenagers—and three teenage girls. They were gathered around what appeared to be a fight between a teenage boy and an adult man. But this wasn't just an ordinary fight. Two huge arms extended from a glowing, floating circle behind the teenage boy. Meanwhile, the man stood calmly in a fighting stance. Jay noticed the man's unwavering confidence and lack of fear.

The arms lunged for the man, but he deflected them without touching them. Again and again, the arms reached out, only to be stopped by some invisible force. Jay stared at the scene, awestruck.

Another paper door slid open, and Chiaki stepped into the room. Beside her was a small, bald old man with a white beard.