Chapter 35 – The Devil’s Wrath

The gymnasium was silent.

A heavy, suffocating air settled over the ruined battlefield.

Kirisaki lay motionless against the broken wall, his body crushed from the sheer force of Haruto's last strike. The ground beneath him was cracked. Blood dripped from his lips, but his smile remained.

Haruto stood before him, golden eyes gleaming in the dim light.

His posture was relaxed, yet the entire room felt like it was on the brink of collapse.

"Stand up."

Haruto's voice was calm, but beneath it was something darker.

Something merciless.

Kirisaki coughed, spitting blood onto the floor. Then, with a low chuckle, he forced himself back to his feet.

His arms trembled. His ribs screamed in pain. But his smirk never faded.

"You're just like they said," Kirisaki muttered, rolling his shoulders. "A monster."

Haruto tilted his head. "Is that all you came here for? To confirm a rumor?"

Kirisaki wiped the blood from his mouth, his grin widening. "No. I came to see if the legend was real."

His eyes darkened.

"The legend of Kuragami."

The name lingered in the air like a curse.

And for the first time… Haruto's expression shifted.

---

The Devil's Past – A Blood-Soaked Throne

Kirisaki chuckled, stepping forward.

"I've heard the stories, Haruto. Or should I say... Kuragami?"

Haruto's gaze remained emotionless. But inside—something burned.

Kirisaki continued, his voice laced with amusement.

"Ten men."

The gym darkened.

The broken floor. The cold air. The distant sound of rain tapping against the shattered windows.

But in Haruto's mind—he was no longer in the gym.

He was back in the past.

A dark alley. The scent of blood soaking the pavement.

Ten bodies, piled on top of each other.

And on top of them—Haruto.

Sitting there. Watching. Waiting.

His hands, drenched in crimson. His golden eyes, lifeless.

He had killed them all. Effortlessly.

And when the last survivor had gasped his final breath, Haruto had simply smiled.

Not in victory. Not in satisfaction.

But in boredom.

---

Back to the Present – The Monster Unleashed

"What was the reason?" Kirisaki asked, his voice smooth.

Haruto's fingers twitched.

Kirisaki leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. "What made you do it? What made you slaughter them?"

Haruto didn't respond.

Instead—

BANG!

A fist crashed into Kirisaki's face.

His body snapped backward, slamming against the floor with a sickening thud.

The gym shook.

Haruto stood over him, golden eyes burning with pure, unfiltered rage.

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to."

Kirisaki groaned, his vision blurring. But still—he laughed.

"Heh… I hit a nerve, didn't I?"

Haruto grabbed him by the collar, lifting him like a ragdoll.

Then, the torture began.

---

The Devil's Brutality – No Mercy

Crack.

Haruto's knee slammed into Kirisaki's ribs. Once. Twice. Thrice.

Bones shattered.

Blood spilled from Kirisaki's mouth, but Haruto didn't stop.

He slammed him against the wall—then drove his fist into his stomach.

Kirisaki convulsed. His breath was stolen from him. His body twitched from the impact.

Yet he still smiled.

Haruto hated that smile.

So, he ripped it away.

His fingers wrapped around Kirisaki's face. Tightly.

Then—he slammed his head into the ground.

Once.

Twice.

A third time.

Each impact left a deeper crack in the wooden floor.

The gymnasium reeked of iron.

Haruto leaned in, his breath cold against Kirisaki's ear.

"Still enjoying yourself?"

Kirisaki coughed, his vision hazy. But despite the pain—he still chuckled.

"Heh… yeah."

Haruto's grip tightened. "Tch. Annoying."

He twisted Kirisaki's wrist.

CRACK!

A sickening snap echoed through the empty gym.

For the first time—Kirisaki screamed.

Haruto watched him writhing in agony.

And for a moment… he felt nothing.

Not satisfaction. Not guilt.

Just emptiness.

That was the kind of monster he had become.

But then—Kirisaki spoke.

His voice was weak. But his words were strong.

"Is that all you've got, Kuragami?"

Haruto froze.

---

The Past Returns – A Name That Won't Die

That name.

He thought he had buried it.

He thought he had erased it from existence.

But Kirisaki knew.

And that meant others would know.

Haruto's grip loosened.

Kirisaki smiled through his swollen lips. "I know what you are, Haruto."

"A monster who kills without reason."

Haruto's fists clenched.

"You enjoy it, don't you?"

Kirisaki laughed, despite his shattered body. "The thrill. The blood. The way their eyes widen in fear right before they die."

Haruto said nothing.

Because deep down—he knew Kirisaki was right.

There was a time when he had felt nothing while killing.

No regret. No hesitation.

Only a hunger for more.

But that was then.

Now?

He was different.

…Wasn't he?

---

The Final Blow – A Silent Goodbye

Haruto exhaled.

His grip tightened around Kirisaki's throat.

He could kill him now.

Easily.

Effortlessly.

But he didn't.

Instead, he dropped him.

Kirisaki hit the floor with a weak gasp, his body unable to move.

Haruto turned away.

"You're not worth killing."

Kirisaki chuckled weakly. "Tch… coward."

Haruto ignored him.

He stepped towards the exit, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Next time," he muttered, his voice low. "Don't bring up my past."

He glanced over his shoulder one last time.

"Or I won't stop at breaking bones."

And with that—he was gone.

Leaving Kirisaki lying in his own blood, laughing through the pain.

---

To Be Continued…